There Are No Coincidences
by ImaTVJunkie
Summary: This story is Pt 1 of a Trilogy - A chance meeting in a bar leads to a shocking discovery. Two couples have their worlds collide in a way that neither could foresee, not stop. Their lives are changed forever as they are lead straight into a war zone where black &white is blurred & life & death become all too real - - This is AU fiction using familiar characters &settings.
1. Chapter 1

Brennan was alone that night. Booth was out with Sweets and Hodgins. Some male bonding thing Sweets had insisted upon.

She had been driving around. She tried the Founding Fathers, but it was way too busy tonight. She just wanted a quiet drink. Anywhere.

A flashing neon sign caught her eye. The Bronze. she'd never noticed this place before. It looked quiet. She parked her car and entered the bar.

It was nice. Warm muted colours. Nice little booths around the perimeter of the room. A long bar along the back wall. And it was quiet. A jukebox was in the corner. Playing lazy jazz. Something that appealed to Brennan. She looked at the booths, but opted to sit at the bar.

A young woman was sitting a couple of seats away and they were the only two at the bar. Brennan ordered a whisky sour. She had become quite fond of it since meeting Booth. It was often his drink of choice and soon had become one of hers. She sat sipping at her drink. Relaxing. Letting her mind drift along with the music that played in the background.

"Excuse me?" A soft musical voice interrupted her daydream. She opened her eyes and looked into the large sparkling hazel eyes of the girl who had been sitting at the bar.

"Do you mind if I join you? It's sort of quiet here tonight and. Well. I was alone, and I saw you were alone." Brennan must have looked shocked because she added "I'm not trying to pick you up or anything. I just thought it might be nice to have a drink with someone, and a chat? If you don't mind?" Brennan smiled at the girl. She was around 25 she supposed. Quite beautiful. With a gorgeous friendly smile. She originally just wanted to have a quiet drink by herself, but for some reason felt compelled to accept.

Brennan held out her hand . "My name is Doctor Temperance Brennan". The girl shook her hand and replied "I'm Cordelia Chase. I'm not a doctor or anything that interesting. Pleased to meet you!"

The two women sat and passed the time chatting idly about their jobs and their lives. The conversation turned to men, as conversations between women often do.

"So. do you have a partner?" Cordelia asked. Brennan responded "Oh yes. my partner and I work for the FBI". Cordy laughed. "Oh! That's interesting. I actually mean do you have a significant other, a boyfriend or husband?" Brennan blushed slightly "Oh, I see. Yes. I do. He is also my professional partner. His name is Seeley, Seeley Booth".

Cordy smiled "That's a nice name! My boyfriends name is Angel" Brennan frowned slightly "Angel? Angel who?" Cordy laughed "Well, that's it. Just Angel. I suppose it's like Usher, or Beyonce. Except that he's not a musician." Brennan frowned, "I don't know what that means" she said. Cordy tipped her head to the side and laughed "The singers? You know, Usher?" Brennan shook her head. "You're funny" Cordy said and continued on despite Brennan's confused expression. "He's a private investigator. We work together too! Isn't that a co-incidence?".

Cordelia ordered a second drink and asked "So, what's Seeley like?" Brennan drained her glass and ordered another drink also paying for both. "No. Let me" she waved Cordelia away when she protested. "Well. Let's think. I call him Booth. He is FBI, so he's very. Straight, I suppose you would say. Very, by the book. He was brought up by his grandfather, he's very religious, he has a son - Parker who is 13, umm." she hesitated, thinking what else she should say. "He is very loyal and trustworthy. He's extremely kind and sensitive. Booth's just a really, really good man" Brennan looked at Cordelia who was listening intently.

"He sounds wonderful. So much like Angel. So, Angel is a bit older than me, he is from Ireland originally, he is very thoughtful, and very, very sensitive and kind too! He has a lot of faith, but I wouldn't say he was religious, exactly. He believes it's his duty to help the helpless, protect the weak. He's actually a really good guy too! Funny how they seem so much alike!"

Brennan decided that she quite liked Cordelia and noticed the way her eyes sparkled when she talked about her boyfriend. "Do you have a picture of him?" she asked. Cordelia smiled "Well. Sort of. It's not really a photo exactly, it's an ink sketch a good friend of mine did for us. Its more. Personal. To me." She fished around in her bag for her wallet and pulled out a small laminated square. She handed it to Brennan.

Brennan held it up under the light and felt her throat constrict. she gasped. "But. this is not possible!" she remarked. She put the picture on the bar and grabbed her purse. She pulled out the photo of Booth with Parker that she carried and handed it to Cordy.

Cordelia's mouth dropped open and the two women sat staring at the two pictures of the two men they loved. They held the pictures up side by side. The two men were almost identical!

"This can't be right. The odds of this occurring are. Just not." Brennan could not verbalise what she was feeling. Cordelia was beside herself and quite to the point. "They are like twins! This is amazing! How old did you say Seeley was? 40? Well I know they aren't twins separated at birth 'cos Angel is a lot older than Seeley"

Brennan looked at Cordelia disbelievingly. "Older than Booth? He looks about 10 years younger!" Cordelia gulped and stammered. "Well. Angel . He has good genes and is a stickler for skin care, so I guess that must be why" she blurted trying to come up with a reasonable reason for Angels youthful appearance.

Brennan and Cordelia returned their respective pictures to their wallets and finished their drinks. Both seemed a little nervous and uncomfortable as they bid their farewells to each other. Not really knowing if what had just happened was real or just a side effect of the drinks they had been drinking.

Brennan decided to catch a cab, convinced she was too drunk. iI must have had way too much to drink because that. That was just too ridiculous for words. There is just no way/i

Cordelia jumped in her little car and drove home, excited and overwhelmed by what she had just seen. "Wait until I tell Angel about this!" she thought as she zipped along the streets towards the apartment she shared with Angel. She ran into the apartment. "Angel. ANGEL!. You will never guess. I met someone tonight. Her boyfriend. My god. Angel! He could be your twin. Your doppelganger. Exactly like you!"

Angel patted her arm in an attempt to calm her down. "Cordy. Baby. That's interesting. But you know. It might have been just that he looked a bit like me" She shook her head. "No! He was exactly like you!" He smiled. "Well that's interesting. I think you need to get some sleep now. I think you may have had just one drink too many. hmmm? " He had her by the shoulders and guided her in the direction of the bedroom.

Cordy went off to bed, her head spinning slightly from the alcohol and from the excitement of the picture she saw. Angel crawled into bed and cuddled up to Cordy, contemplating what she had just told him. He knew this day would come eventually.

* * *

Brennan walked into her apartment and tiptoed into the bedroom. Booth was already in bed, half asleep. "Good night, Bones?" she hesitated then climbed into bed. "Oh it was alright. I just had a couple of drinks by myself. We need to pick up my car in the morning" Booth rolled over and snuggled up to her. "Oh, OK. So did you meet anyone interesting?" Brennan lifted her head and glanced at him, wondering why he would even ask that.

She relaxed and curled into his arms. "No. it was a quiet night. Nothing interesting at all. Nothing" she lied. She lay awake for a long time wondering about that picture she had seen tonight. Cordelia and Angel. She decided that it was just a trick of the light in the bar. Then drifted off to sleep, visions of two men reflected in each other floating through her mind.

* * *

In two apartments in the same city, two men lay with their arms around the women they loved. One unaware of the others existence. The other. Pondering what to do next?


	2. Chapter 2

Angel lay holding Cordy until he was sure she was in a deep sleep, then gently slipped out from under her sleeping form and crept out into the living room, quietly closing the door behind him.

He paced the floor, rubbing his forehead, thinking about what she had told him. He knew about this other man. well, sort of. It had been in an obscure part of an ancient prophecy Wesley had told him about years ago. He had dismissed it as a misinterpretation by Wesley at the time, and had made fun of him about it. Wesley had been adamant that it was going to happen, but Angel just didn't believe him. it was too far fetched. And in Angels world, that meant it was REALLY far fetched. And because of that. Angel had promptly forgotten about it.

Until now.

Cordys' revelation shocked and worried him. At first he thought she was just her nattering because of the drinks she had indulged in, but the more she told him, the more he started to wonder. His twin, his doppelganger. A human, identical in physical traits and quite possibly personality? Angel shook his head and began pacing again. This was just too much! I have to see for myself he decided.

He had the man's name. Seeley Booth. _and what kind of name was Seeley anyway? _ He sat at the computer and typed in the name. The search engine promptly obliged popping up several references to the man in question. Angel spent the next hour perusing the different items regarding his _twin_. Seeley Booth. 39 year old white male, raised in Pittsburgh by his grandfather. No mention of parents. One child - Parker aged 13, Roman Catholic (this strikes a cord in Angel). Sniper in the United States Army. 101st Airborne Divivision, 75th Ranger Regiment, USArmy Special Forces. Master Sergeant, served in Gulf War. Somalia, Kosovo. Bronze Star, National Defense Service Medal and Army Good Conduct Medal. Holds the record for the longest shot made in combat. Recently served in Afghanistan. Sergeant Major, Advisor to Afghan National Army. Special Forces, Ranger, Combat Infantry, HALO, Air Assault, Parachutist. Currently working for the FBI, Special Agent. Partner for last 6 years Temperance Brennan, Forensic Anthropologist, working out of the Jeffersonian Institute.

Angel sits back in his chair contemplating this man. _He has certainly achieved a lot in his years. He obviously is an honest, hardworking man with morals and faith,_ not unlike himself. He clicks on the "Images" tab. A face flashes up on the screen. He sits staring at the man in front of him. A memory of soft brown eyes, dark hair, strong jaw and nose, determined mouth, these features resonate in his mind.

Angel has only seen himself briefly once or twice in the last 200 years, and only by accident. But those features are unmistakably familiar. He is looking at himself. Granted a self that is about 20 years older than he looks. But still. He reaches out and touches the screen. Tracing the shape of the face. Using his other hand to compare on his own. The nose, the set of the jaw. So, this is me. He ponders, not disliking what he is seeing. For Seeley Booth clearly is a handsome man. A small puff of pride fills Angels chest, but he quickly pushes it away, embarrassed at his own vanity.

He clicks on another tab and the printer whirrs as it spits out the report, followed by the photograph of Seeley Booth. He picks them up and goes to the couch and sits down re-reading what he has been able to find. He lays the sheets on his chest and leans back and closes his eyes. My god. He is me. I am him. But how? And why didn't I pay attention to Wesley more when he was alive. Regretting his dismissal of what obviously is now of great importance. _What to do? How can I find that prophecy? And what does it mean?_ Question after question raced through Angels head.

Cordy found him asleep on the couch. The sun was just starting to creep across the floor, sneaking through open curtains. The toe of Angels sock was steaming. A thin whisp of smoke rising from where the sun was just clipping it. She crossed the room and pulled the curtains closed tightly.

She stood looking at Angel. Her heart swelling as it usually did when she saw him. She did not have the heart to wake him yet. Clearly he had been up all night, which generally was quite normal for a vampire. But Angel had become quite used to spending daylight hours awake ensconced in their apartment or his office which was downstairs, both having been equipped with heavy blackout curtains and blinds which kept him protected from the sun (except when they were not closed properly she noted looking at the curtain behind her, double checking it was properly closed now.)

She walked across and pulled the smoking sock from his foot, careful not to disturb him, and went into the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee, dropping the sock into the sink and running some water on it.

Cordy sat at the table and simply waited for both the coffee and Angel.


	3. Chapter 3

Brennan opened her eyes. The room was pitch black except for the glow of the digital clock by the bed. It cast an eerie glow about the room. She held up her hand and examined it in the faint green light. She allowed her eyes to adjust to the darkness and then looked across at Booth. He was laying on his stomach, face smooshed into the pillow, snoring softly. She smiled. One day she was going to record him snoring and play it back for him. Because he didn't snore. Just ask him.

She looked back up at the ceiling. A picture formed in her mind. Cleverly drawn, an ink rendering of a man and a woman. Cordelia, long hair blowing around her head, her smile wide and bright, her eyes sparkling. The artist had captured her perfectly. And then the man. He was tall, broad shouldered, strong looking. His dark hair spiked up, his wide brow serious, dark eyes, almost smoky looking. Intense. His mouth is not smiling, but he looks content. His arm is draped protectively around Cordelias' shoulder, his hand lightly holding her close to him. This was a man who you would feel safe with. She knew that instinctively, because that's how she feels with Booth. Like he would conquer heaven and earth to protect you.

Angels eyes burned into her consciousness. So familiar, so warm. His mouth. She knew that his lips would be gentle, but firm. His hands would be strong, his body firm but yielding. She just, knew. Temperance shook her head, surprised at her thought process.

Booth's face and this other man's face spun around in her mind, melding together then separating, but as they came together, they blended perfectly. She was trying to find something that told her that these were two completely different men, but she couldn't. Her analytical brain was checking off every detail. And, apart from the age difference between them. In her mind, they were identical, one and the same. It was also impossible.

Brennan couldn't lay there any longer. She slipped out of the bed, careful not to disturb Booth. He was tired after his night out. And she knew they had a busy day ahead of them. She should have been sleeping herself. But it was impossible. She was wide awake, and that was that.

She grabbed her gown from the back of the door and slipped out of the bedroom into the living room. She closed the door quietly behind her and flicked the light switch. She padded across to the kitchen and began setting up the coffee maker. She needed coffee badly. Brennan stood waiting for the coffee, and again her mind began to throw faces in front of her. She turned and walked over to the sideboard and picked up a photograph.

It was Booth and her. It was taken during one of their undercover jobs. Tony and Roxie. She smiled at her "big" hair and her red lipstick and the dark eye makeup. Booth was turned sideways to the camera, grinning at her. His dimpled cheek showing his happiness. She replaced the photo and picked up another. It was Booth and Parker, taken the same day as the small one she carried. Booth was sitting with Parker on his lap. He was looking directly into the camera smiling. His face was open, his features clear.

There was no mistaking it. Angel and Booth _WERE_ identical. Even down to the little mole next to their right eye. And the scar on their foreheads. Booths' was from when he was a child and had chicken pox. She wondered what caused Angels scar. She needed to see that picture again. No. She needed to see the man for herself.

Brennan decided that in the morning, she was going to look up Cordelia Chases' phone number and call her. She wondered if the young woman would even want to talk to her. They had left the bar quickly after their discovery, both shocked, although Cordelia had seemed excited about the similarities between their partners. Brennan just hoped that Cordelia would want to meet with her again. She needed to arrange to meet Angel, to see for herself if what she suspected, was true, or even possible.

She walked back over to the kitchen and turned off the coffee maker. She would have to make a fresh pot in the morning when Booth got up. She lost her appetite for a hot drink. She turned off the lights and opened the bedroom door.

Booth was still snoring, however he had flipped onto his back and was laying arms and legs splayed. She smiled to herself. Having Booth move in had been interesting. He was a "whole bed" sleeper she had quickly found out. He loved spreading out across the entire bed, so that was something she had learnt to deal with. It usually involved her curling up into his side, using his shoulder as her pillow, not entirely unpleasant. She crept across the floor and dropped her robe onto the floor. She gently climbed into the bed and did just that. Snuggling into the crook of his shoulder, wrapping her arm around him. Feeling his warmth spread into her body.

Brennan sighed and closed her eyes. She finally relaxed and must have fallen asleep soon after getting into bed.

It seemed like she had only been asleep for minutes when the alarm went off. She rolled away from Booths' warm body and turned off the clock. Tempted to get up straight away, then changed her mind and curled up against Booth again. He had not moved an inch, clearly in a deep sleep. They could go into work late today she decided. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep again.


	4. Chapter 4

It didn't take long for Angel to open his eyes. He had not been completely asleep. He never really slept. Not like a mortal person did anyway. He let his eyes adjust to the rooms light and turned his head without lifting it from the back of the couch. Cordy was sitting at the kitchen table, eyes closed, head bobbing to some internal tune in her head. Her foot was jigging to a matching beat, her slipper flopping up and down, balanced on her toes.

He smiled as he watched her. She was a patient woman. How many mornings had he awoken from a nap on the couch and found her sitting, just like this, waiting for him. _Too many_ he expected. She never complained. She just waited.

Angel stood up slowly and silently crossed the room, walking up behind her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and squeezed gently, dropping his lips to her hair. "Morning Cordy. Coffee ready?" he asked. She smiled, one hand coming up to lay upon his and she tilted her head up so she was looking into his eyes. He dropped another kiss onto her lips. "About time mister! I've been sitting here for ages" she responded. The coffee maker beeped as if on cue. They both laughed, clearly she had been waiting for around 15 minutes, the exact amount of time it takes for their coffee to be ready.

He ruffled her hair and went to the cupboard, grabbed two mugs and the pot of coffee and came back to the table and sat down opposite her. She slipped off her slippers and deposited her bare feet into his lap as she always did, wriggling her toes. He smiled as he poured them both a cup. Although technically, Angel didn't require sustenance from normal sources. He did enjoy a good cup of coffee, unfortunately Cordy had yet to master the art of good coffee, but he never told her.

She took a sip of the steaming liquid and placed her mug on the table, leaning forwards, elbows on the table, chin in hands. "So? Did you think about what I told you last night?" she asked. He looked up from the cup held at his lips. "Hmmm? What was that?" he played dumb. She dropped her hands onto the table. "Angel, don't play stupid with me. You know exactly what I'm talking about. That woman I met last night. Her boyfriend, Seeley Booth. The fact that he is YOUR DOUBLE!" She stared him down.

Angel couldn't avoid her question. She knew him too well. Plus when she glared at him with those eyes, he couldn't resist her. He put his cup down. "Yes I thought about it. To be honest Cordy, I even did some research last night. I couldn't sleep, so I came out here and looked him up." She sat back in her chair feeling slightly smug. "I knew you would be interested!"

She pulled her feet from his lap, stood up and walked around the table, placed her hands on his shoulders and leaned in close to his ear, nibbling his lobe. "So I'll go have a shower while you cook breakfast and you can tell me all about what you found while I eat, deal?" Angel laughed and turned to kiss the tip of her nose. "Deal".

She skipped off into the bathroom giggling. Angel shook his head. "One day I will be able to defy those eyes" he thought. But he knew it would never happen. Cordy had cast a spell over him. And truthfully, he never wanted to be released from it. She had been the best part of his life these last few years, the very best part.

He busied himself cooking bacon, eggs, and waffles. It was her favourite breakfast. Despite his lack of appetite for actual food, he really enjoyed cooking, so this was their daily morning routine. He savoured the whole process of preparing and cooking. He enjoyed the smells immensely, they brought back memories of his mother cooking over a large wood stove when he was a child. One of the few memories he retained from his mortal life.

Cordy came back out of the bathroom wearing his bathrobe her wet hair hanging over her shoulders, clinging to her face. She had regrown her hair again, and he was glad. He liked her short bob, but he loved her long wavy hair, the way it hung over him like a silken curtain when they were making love. He loved the feel of it under his fingers when he brushed her hair.

She stood in front of him with a towel in her hand. She inhaled deeply "mmmm Smells good!" She bent over at the waist, her hair hanging down towards the floor, a puddle forming from the dripping strands, and expertly wrapped the towel around her head into a neat turban and stood up. "I'm so hungry!"

Angel grabbed a plate from the warming shelf and slid her breakfast onto it and placed it on the table. He grabbed a container of blood from the fridge and zapped it briefly in the microwave, poured it into a fresh mug and joined her at the table. "So" Cordy spoke her mouth half full of eggs and waffle "Tell me everything you found out about your mysterious twin".

Angel took a long draught of blood, placed the mug on the table and began to fill Cordy in on what he had found out about Seeley Booth. Cordy sat intently listening and eating her breakfast while Angel talked. She knew that Angel would tell her everything, and that he would be very thorough.

_If anyone could solve this mystery it was Angel Investigations!_


	5. Chapter 5

An alarm bell should have gone off when he realised that Bones had not gotten up and woken him this morning. It was now 10.00am and they were just eating breakfast. They should have been at work two hours ago. Mind you, he was a little sluggish after his night out last night.

Booth sat opposite Brennan as she sipped her coffee and pushed her food around her plate. He didn't say anything, just observed. He knew this woman so well. Six years of working together, he'd seen her at her best and worst. He'd seen her evolve, become more in tune with people, something that she had frowned upon when he first met her. Bones were her life. Death was her playground. Explaining the inexplicable was her reward. He liked to think that he had played a role in her personal growth.

They had been through so much together, getting to this point almost didn't happen. But it did, and he thanked God every day for that. He and Parker were the luckiest guys in the world. Bones was a friend, a confidante, a lover, a caretaker, and most importantly to Booth, she was his partner. Nothing else mattered. And when she was worried about something, well, he was worried too.

He finally spoke "Bones? What's on your mind. And don't tell me nothing. I can see it in your face. Something is bothering you, distracting you. And you and I both know it. So come on. No secrets, remember?" He reached across the table and placed his hand on her arm as he said this. "Remember?" he repeated, nodding. She looked at his hand for a moment, the neat short nails, the long fingers gently grasping her arm. She looked up into his brown eyes. They had that worried look in them, his brow furrowed, his mouth set into a serious line. She looked back down at his hand and covered it with her own.

She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it without saying a word. Her eyes started to well up for no reason. _This is stupid Brennan. Just tell him._ She thought to herself. She looked back up at him with wet eyes.

"Booth. I'm going to tell you something" she hesitated, "odd. I don't want you to say anything until I'm finished. Promise me." Booth looked at her and nodded his agreement. "Last night when I came home and you asked me if I met anyone interesting? I sort of, lied." She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "I did meet someone. A young woman by the name of Cordelia. Cordelia Chase. She was in the bar, alone, like me. We got to chatting and had a few drinks together. Booth, we started talking about our partners, well, boyfriends." She felt her colour rise _why do I still get embarrassed when I call him my boyfriend_ " She showed me a picture of her and her boyfriend, Angel."

She hesitated, not sure how to say this next part. "Booth. This is going to sound totally ridiculous. Booth, he could have been your twin!" Booth opened his mouth but Brennan held up her hand, indicating she had not finished speaking. He closed his mouth and just stared at her. "I know what you are going to say, that I had too much to drink, that the lighting in the bar was just dim. No Booth, NO! I checked the picture several times. I held it up next to the one that I carry in my wallet of you and Parker. He could be your twin. It was incredible! I would not have believed it if I did not see it for myself. I want to contact her today. I want to meet him, I have to see for myself. I cannot stop thinking about it Booth. It was, just." She stopped talking, unable to verbalise anything more.

Booth realised that she was completely serious. If nothing else, Booth knew that Brennan was meticulous in her attention to detail. She had a photographic memory, or close enough to one. He sat watching her face, her eyes were tortured. Wide open, so blue. So scared. Brennan didn't like things that made little to no sense. She thrived on facts, details, information. This, scared her because there was no explanation for it.

"Bones, you are sure? Like, I mean, the sky is blue, the grass is green, sure?" She nodded at him. "OK, well, that is not what I thought you were going to tell me. So, what are the odds that we, like anybody, could have a double, a, twin? Is it even physically possible?" He was trying to help her by giving her questions that made sense, but he could tell from her face that he wasn't helping. She was really freaked out by this, and Bones did not freak easily.

"OK, OK. Well, I guess we will just have to pay this Cordelia girl a visit and hopefully meet my mysterious twin." he said, humouring her.

She looked slightly relieved "Can we go this morning? I found her address on the internet" she asked. She stood up. He looked up from his breakfast, "Now? Can I eat first?" She walked around the table and grabbed his plate and dumped the contents into the trash. "No, but we'll stop and I'll get you something on the way. Come on."

Booth had no choice but to gulp down his coffee and follow her out the door. _What have I got myself into? _echoing in his brain as he grabbed his coat and keys and pulled the door closed behind him, the smell of his breakfast taunting him from the garbage.

Booth and Brennan stood outside an old brownstone building. It looked ordinary enough. There was a doorbell with a name plate above it next to the front door. "Angel Investigations". Brennan looked at Booth and pressed the doorbell.

Booth shuffled his feet and looked down at the toes of his shoes. He had on a pair of soft tops, dark grey. He wriggled his toes and watched them moving inside his shoe. His hands were shoved into his pants pockets, and he was feeling. _what was he feeling? nervous? apprehensive? weird? all of the above?_

Brennan turned and looked at Booth, she reached down and grabbed his hand and gripped it tightly and smiled. She was excited. He could tell. He squeezed her hand back reassuringly. The stood waiting.

Angel and Cordelia were still upstairs in the apartment when the bell rang.

Cordy jumped up "Ooh! I haven't opened up the office yet! We have a customer! Angel, can you go answer the door?" Angel just sat looking at her a wry smile on his face. "Yes Cordy, I will go down and open the door and fry in the sunshine whilst greeting the customers that I will no longer be able to help because I shall be ashes" He tilted his head and smirked at her.

She rolled her eyes and punched him playfully in the arm. "Fine. You go open up the office, I'll go answer the door" she quipped as she skipped down the stairs. Angel followed more slowly opting to use the lift.

Cordy opened the door and her mouth dropped open. She totally forgot about Brennan standing there. She simply screamed and lunged at Booth. "Oh my God! You really are him!" She had his face clamped between her hands as she inspected him left and right, up and down.

"Uhhh, can I have my face back now?" he asked as he grabbed her arms and pulled her hands off his face. He stepped back onto the second step and nudged Brennan to speak. Cordys unabashed inspection of him made him feel a little uncomfortable to say the least. He stood back and began observing her while Brennan talked to her.

"Temperance! It's so good to see you! How did you find me? Oh my God Angel will not believe this! You have to come in, please, come in! This is amazing" Cordy was clearly overwhelmed by their arrival at her doorstep. Brennan and Booth followed her inside. Booth taking mental notes of everything around him.

"Come to the office. Angel is just opening up. We were so lazy this morning, we just hadn't gotten round to getting ready for the day, not that we've been overly busy, things have been pretty slow in the private investigation business" Cordy was simply gushing. Booth wondered if this endless nattering was really her, or whether she was just nervous about them arriving on her doorstep.

Brennan spoke, finally. "So, Angel is here?" She reached down and grabbed Booths hand again, hanging on to him tightly. He could tell she was nervous. He could feel her fingers trembling slightly. Cordelia led them to a door with their business name emblazoned on it, underneath were the words "We help the helpless". Booth barely stifled a snort, which did not go unnoticed by Brennan who squeezed his hand as hard as she could. "Sorry" he mumbled under his breath, glancing again at the sign and smirking.

Cordy opened the door and pushed it open. "Come in!" she invited them brightly. "Angel! You'll never guess who is here!" She ushered Brennan and Booth into the office and followed them in closing the door behind them.

A man was at the filing cabinet over in the corner, rifling through papers. Brennan took note of his height, his build, his hair colour and felt the hairs on the back of her neck starting to bristle. Booth was still busy taking in his surroundings, making mental criticisms about this and that.

Cordy walked over to the man and put her hand on his arm "Angel, honey? I'd like you to meet Temperance Brennan and Seeley Booth." The man at the filing cabinet froze. His back straightened and he simply stood staring at the cabinet in front of him. Brennan took a step towards him, her mouth dry and her nerves on edge. She pulled Booth along with her towards Angel.

"Mr Angel? I'm pleased to meet you. I'm Doctor Temperance Brennan, and this is my partner" She was cut off by a voice so familiar it made her skin prickle. "I know who you are" the voice said. He turned around to face his visitors.

Booth felt his mouth dry and his throat close up. Angel and Booth faced each other as Angel finished his sentence, "apparently, you are me."


	6. Chapter 6

Booth stumbled back two steps, his heel catching on a chair and he landed unceremoniously on his rear. Angel smirked as he stepped towards him, his hand outstretched "Elegant. I actually have been known to bring people to their knees before" and flicked a look at Cordelia who had linked her arm into Brennans and was jigging up and down excitedly. "See! I told you they were identical" she whispered into Brennans ear.

Booth scooted back a few inches, staring up into his own face. Angel took another step closer and waved his open hand in front of him. "Come on. I don't bite." followed up by a whispered quip "_often_". The smirk on his face becoming more obvious. Booth blinked and looked from Angels face to his hand and back again. He reached up to grab the hand of the man standing over him, hesitating for a moment. "Oh for gods sake man" Angel said, reaching down and grasping Booths hand and lifting him to his feet. Booth was astounded at how easily he was lifted off the floor.

He knew he was a big solid guy, but Angel just lifted him up like he weighed nothing! How did he do that? He also registered that Angels hand was cold. another thing that surprised him. It was a warm day, yet this man did not seem to be aware of the heat. He was wearing a long sleeved sweater and leather pants, which would be more suited to a winters day than the middle of summer. _Does he work as a stripper in his spare time_? Booth smiled at his own joke about the leather pants.

Brennan was standing next to Cordelia, her mouth slightly ajar, not quite registering what was in front of her. Booth - Angel - it was incredible! Angel was for all intents and purposes the exact image of Booth! Granted he looked about 15 years younger, and was very pale skinned compared to Booth who always sported a swarthy tan. And Booth weighed a bit more than Angel, but other than that? She shook her head and blinked several times, but the vision did not change. She was looking at two men, who looked exactly the same.

Booth disengaged his hand from Angels cold one and stepped back, his mouth slack and his eyes wide. He looked him up and down, shook his head and looked over at Brennan who still had not moved or spoken. "Bones. Bones!" he yelled at her to break her trance. "You are the scientist. What the hell is going on?"

Angel simply stood still, enjoying the confusion that was taking over the man in front of him. He felt a little mean. After all, he was pre-warned. Clearly this Booth guy, knew nothing of what he was walking in to. Angel decided to put him out of his misery by speaking first. He held out his hand and said "I guess I should formally introduce myself. I'm Angel, and you are, Seeley Booth?"

Booth stood staring at the hand that was extended in front of him, not sure if he actually wanted to touch it again. The coolness of it's skin reminded him of a corpse, not something he liked. But, he overcame his distaste and reluctantly shook Angels hand then quickly let go, shoving it into his pocket, unconsciously wiping it on the lining. "Uhhh yeah, just call me Booth. Angel you said? Angel who?" Booth asked.

Angel simply smiled and responded "Just Angel". Booth frowned and said "just Angel? Really." His suspicious nature kicked in. He walked over to Brennan and wrapped his arm around her waist. "Come on Bones, help me here. What is going on?" He was desperate for some explanation, some piece of scientific something that would help him understand. Booth didn't like not knowing what was happening, and right now, he really didn't understand a thing, and it was bugging the hell out of him.

Brennan suddenly wobbled on her legs and Booth caught her as she crumpled in his arm. "Shit, Bones!" Cordelia grabbed her other arm and they half carried, half dragged her over to a couch on the side of the room and lay her down. Booth hovered over her, fanning her face with his hand and looking up at Cordelia, "can I get a glass of water please?" He gently patted Brennans cheeks "Bones? Wake up, please?" she slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him and simply said "I told you he looked just like you, didn't I?" They both looked across the room and looked at Angel standing with his arms crossed over his chest, staring back at them.

Cordelia, who had been excitedly watching everything began to laugh and clap her hands. "This is so exciting! Let's have a drink!" Three sets of eyes turned on her and eyed her with surprise.

"What?" she asked them "It _IS_ exciting!" She turned and skipped off into the kitchen.

Angel looked back at Booth and Brennan "Well. Perhaps a good stiff drink might be a good way to start. It appears we have a mystery on our hands, doesn't it?"


	7. Chapter 7

Booth turned his attention back to Brennan, who although deathly white, was trying to sit up. He stood up suddenly, ignoring the pain in his back from his earlier tumble. "Come on Bones. We're getting out of here. Now." He tried to help her stand. "Booth! No. We just got here. Don't you want to find out..." Booth all but picked her up off the couch and growled into her face "No. No I don't want to find anything out. What I want is to go to work. To get out of this crazy house. Take you to the office where you can play around with some dead things and just forget about this, this. THIS!" he gestured in a random circle around his head.

Throughout it all Angel had stood silent. His arms uncrossing, his hands now resting on his hips, his fingers splayed, hooking into his belt. He did not speak at all, a wry smirk still on his handsome face.  
Booth got Brennan to her feet and started to push her towards the door.

At that moment Cordelia came into the room carrying a tray with a pitcher of what might or might not have been iced tea and 4 glasses filled with ice. She pulled up short and exclaimed "What's going on? You aren't leaving? But you just got here and we have so much to talk about!" Her bottom lip dropped and she looked just like a 5 year old told she couldn't go to a birthday party Booth thought to himself.

"Sorry Cordelia, but Bones isn't feeling well. _Are you_" He stared into her face willing her to agree. Brennan stammered "I. I'm sorry. No." She flicked her eyes away from Booths desperate gaze and looked at Cordelia, still pouting. "I really do feel quite faint. It might be best if we go and perhaps arrange another time to come and talk to you about." She hesitated not quite knowing how to put things "about our situation." she finished.

Angel took a step forwards and held out his hand to Brennan. "Well I'm sorry Doctor Brennan that we didn't really get to talk. I would definitely like to have the opportunity to talk with you again" Before Angel could grab Brennans hand Booth smoothly stepped in between them, shielding her from that cold hand. He could not shake the idea that there was something just not right about a grown man being so god-damned cold. And he knew that the minute Brennan laid a hand on him, she would be fascinated and want to find out why, and they'd never get out of that place.

Angel retracted his hand, knowing full well what Booth had just done. He simply smiled at Brennan, that gorgeous smile that she loved so much. She couldn't help but smile back at him. "Thankyou Angel. Thankyou so much for your hospitality. I'm so sorry. I will be in touch soon though."

"Yeah, yeah. In touch." Booth was pushing her out the door as fast as she could walk. _over my dead body_ he thought.

"Booth" his own voice called out to him from inside the office. He wanted to ignore it, but found himself drawn to it. He turned and faced himself. Angel nodded at him and said "We will meet again Seeley Booth. It has already been determined. There are things that happen in this world, that even a man like yourself cannot ignore. You believe in God without proof. Why should this be any different?" Angel tilted his head to one side and the corner of his mouth turned up. His eyes bored into Booths. Booth felt something spark inside his head and his heart did a strange double beat. He blinked and all he could do was nod. "Maybe".

He turned and helped Brennan down the steps of the building and over to the car.

He got into the driver's seat and sat gripping the steering wheel tightly. His knuckles were white. Brennan let her hand rest lightly on his cheek. "Booth." He turned to look at her. His face was grim, pale. His eyes sunken into his head, teary looking. He looked back at the road and turned the key and put the car in drive.

Brennan turned to glance back at the building, Cordelia was standing in the doorway, one hand held up waving.

She turned back to look at Booth, only to see a single tear roll down his face. She did not reach up to wipe it from his cheek, although her hand itched to. She clasped her hands together and did not speak of that tear.

Booth drove to the Jeffersonian in silence. He parked the car and walked around to open the door for Brennan.

He held her elbow as she got out of her seat, not letting go as he locked the car. "Bones. Not a word about any of this. Not a word. OK? This. This stuff? It's ours." She looked into his face and nodded. He bent down and kissed her on the lips, hugging her tightly to him. She could feel him trembling. She patted his back not knowing what else to do right now.

They walked in silence into the building. Booth gave Bones a curt look and then stalked into his office closing the door behind him. Brennan, stood for a moment then headed towards her office.

It was going to be a long day.


	8. Chapter 8

Brennan looked at the clock for the 10th time in the last half hour. It was 6.38pm. Booth still had not come to collect her. She had finished the reconstruction she had been working on 45 minutes ago. She was sitting at her desk, just re-reading her report. For the fourth time. She shook her head and stood up. She slipped off her lab coat and hung it on the rack inside her door. Grabbed her jacket and handbag. Double checked that she had turned off her computer and left the office.

She got into the lift and pressed the ground floor button. She would wait for Booth downstairs. She got her phone out of her bag and pressed his speed dial. It went straight to the voicemail. She left a brief message for him telling him she was done for the day and would be in the foyer waiting for him. Thinking nothing more of it. She exited the lift and wandered over to the large circular couch in the foyer and took a seat.

After about 15 minutes a security guard approached her and spoke. "Dr Brennan? Agent Booth asked me to let you know he left early today and that you should catch a cab home. Would you like me to call one now for you?" Brennan sat dumbfounded. "He left already?" she thought. She looked up at the guard and nodded "Yes, thankyou". She sat staring at her handbag. "Why would he leave without telling me?" She decided that he must have been called out on an emergency and just not had time. With that she stepped outside to wait for the cab.

* * *

Booth parked the car outside the old brownstone building. He sat staring at the front door for what seemed like an hour before he decided to leave the car. He rang the doorbell and stepped back down onto the second step.

Cordelia opened the door and stood for a moment staring at him. Then her smile broke through and she once again threw herself at him, grabbing his arm and dragging him through the door. "Booth! I'm so glad you came back! Is Temperance OK. Did you take her home. Does she feel better?" Booth decided that this really was just the way Cordelia was, excitable and chatty. He sighed and held up a hand to stem the flow of questions. "Bones is fine. We went to work and she has been busy all day." he told her, then added "She said to say thankyou". Cordy was happy with that response and stopped talking for a moment. She suddenly turned to look at him "Why do you call her Bones?" He smiled at her, and shrugged. "I dunno, she works with bones all day long, I just called her that one day when I first met her. It stuck." Cordy smiled "Oh! OK" and continued on. Booth followed her, shaking his head. _This is one weird woman_ he thought to himself.

She pulled him along the corridor and past the office to an old elevator. It was the kind you saw in old movies with a large metal gate that you pulled across the front of the elevator manually. She smiled at him. "Angel is upstairs cooking dinner." She leaned into him "He cooks all the meals. He is a great cook. I'm completely useless in the kitchen" Booth nodded, somehow not at all surprised by her confession.

The lift stopped and she pushed the gate open and gestured for him to exit in front of her. They stepped out into a wide corridor. Booth looked around. There were several doors leading off it. "Are there other people living here?" Booth asked her. She smiled again "Nope. Just me and Angel. He likes his privacy. He bought the building about 5 years ago. We have lived here by ourselves the whole time. It's nice." Booth frowned "Don't you get lonely? Isn't it weird being in a whole building by yourselves?" Cordy grinned at him "Why would it be weird?"

She walked up to a door and opened it. She stepped inside and looked at Booth who was still standing outside in the corridor. He had a brief moment where he wanted to bolt down the stairs and out the front door, but he pushed that down and followed her inside the apartment.

It was quite dark, illuminated by lamplight. He wondered why the curtains were drawn so early in the day and asked Cordelia if there was any reason. She hesitated just for a moment then responded "Oh, Angel has a sort of skin condition. He never goes out in the sun, ever. So we keep the curtains drawn, it's just easier. Take a seat Booth. I'll tell Angel you're here" She disappeared through a door on the other side of the room. He nodded at her back _explains his colour I suppose_ he thought to himself as he wandered around the room.

He sat down in a large, comfortable leather armchair and looked around the room. It was full of big, old, dark furniture. Very homely. The floors were beautifully polished dark floorboards covered with large thick rugs. Cushions were strewn casually on every chair. There were a lot of really old paintings on the walls, some of which he was pretty certain were not just prints.

The room was painted a deep gold and the many lamps around the room gave the room a glow that echoed time long past. Booth decided that the room was extremely relaxing. And certainly the complete opposite of his and Brennans apartment which was very modern and uncluttered. He almost wished that they lived in a place like this.

He was still taking in the room when Angel entered. Angel did not draw attention to himself. Simply stood slightly to the side of where Booth was sitting, observing the FBI agent. "You like our living room Agent Booth?" Angel asked. Booth jumped up from his chair with a slight twinge of pain from his back. "Angel. Yes. Uh, yes, I do like this room very much. It's very comfortable. And just call me Booth, no need for the Agent thing. This is not an official visit." He stood awkwardly, his hands on his hips, fingers splayed, hooked into his belt.

It was no coincidence that Angel stood opposite him, standing the exact same way. Booth suddenly realised that he was mirroring Angel and quickly changed his stance, embarrassed by it. "So. What made you come back Booth?" Angel asked. Clearly Angel did not mince words, Booth thought to himself, liking that trait. He himself was not one for making small talk when not necessary.

Booth shifted his stance once again, not quite sure what he actually was doing back in this building. He had been in the car and half way there before he realised what he was doing. It was like he was being drawn there. Booth looked at Angel, still uncomfortable with the feeling that he was looking in a mirror of sorts. He thought carefully about what he was going to say. "Well, I don't actually know why I came back. And that's the truth. I guess curiosity got to me" Booth answered him honestly.

Angel nodded "I understand your concern Booth. It must have been a huge shock to you. Although I was aware of you, I myself was still intrigued when I actually saw you." Booth could not tear his eyes away from this man. "So, how long have you lived in Washington?" Booth asked. Angel walked across to a chair and sat down, gesturing to Booth to make himself comfortable "We moved here about five and a half years ago. I bought this building shortly after we moved. Prior to that we lived in Los Angeles." "Really?" Booth made a mental note. "Why did you leave?" he asked.

Angel shifted in his chair and clasped his hands in front of himself. "Well, that's a particularly long story Booth, not currently relevant to our situation, and perhaps better kept for another time. However, let's just say that things got particularly rough in LA. There was a lot of crime and gang wars, and I just didn't want Cordelia to have to live like that anymore. So, we moved here"

He smiled at Booth, perfectly straight white, _really white! Booth thought to himself_, teeth showing, and said no more. Booth nodded, not really hearing anything suspicious in the story, but again, making mental notes.

"And you Booth? How long have you lived in Washington?" Angel asked tilting his head to the side and staring at Booth. Booth wriggled in his chair, it was very unnerving being scrutinised by your own eyes. He looked at the floor rather than into those eyes. "I've been here since joining the FBI, about 12 years now. Prior to that I was in the Armed Forces."

Angel smiled "Ah. And what did you do while you were conscripted?" he asked. Booth did not want to tell him about him being a sniper. "I was a soldier" was his response, staring down Angel for the first time. He wanted to be the one asking the questions, not answering them. Angel was quick to pick up on the change of tone in Booths voice. _So, he also was a man who liked to be in control, liked to direct the conversation. Interesting. _ Angel thought to himself.

The two men sat staring at each other until Cordelia re-entered the room carrying two plates of food. "I hope you are hungry Seeley. Can I call you Seeley? Or do you prefer to be called Booth. Cos I can call you Booth if you prefer" Booth held up his hand as this seemed to the be the only way to stem the flow from Cordy's mouth, "you can call me Booth. Thanks." He took the plate from her and placed it on his lap. He looked up at Angel and asked "you not eating Angel?" Angel shook his head "I ate earlier. Please, enjoy."

Booth hesitated for a moment looking at the plate in front of him. He lifted it up to sniff the contents. It smelt wonderful. Cordelia was tucking into her food, smiling at Angel "mmmm... this is yummy honey. Thanks" She looked at Booth, "you don't like it? Angel really is a wonderful cook." Booth took a mouthful and his mouth was filled with wonderful flavours. He looked up at Cordelia and shook his head as he chewed and swallowed "No. I mean, yes. It's great! Thanks." He hadn't had any lunch and suddenly realised how hungry he was.

They sat together in the living room, Cordy and Booth eating, Angel simply watching them. They really didn't speak a great deal, just a few mundane comments here and there. Once they had finished eating, Cordy took Booths plate and said "I'll leave you two boys to talk" She looked directly at Angel and dipped her head in his direction as if to signal something to him Booth noticed.

Angel sat quietly. If Booth didn't know better, he would have sworn that that man wasn't even breathing. He was so still. He found himself staring at his chest trying to see. Angel broke the silence.

"Look Booth. I know this is pretty weird. Meeting someone who looks a little like you would be crazy enough, but meeting someone who looks exactly like you?" He nodded at Booth. "I guess, I need to tell you a bit about what is going on, as I understand it."

Booth sat in the chair his hands gently gripping the ends of the armrests. He felt his jaw clench and the muscle in his cheek begin to twitch. Something that always happened when he was tense. But he didn't interrupt Angel.

"First of all, my name is Angel, only Angel. I know you won't believe me, but I am actually quite a bit older than you. And I actually did know about you before we met. Well, not exactly know about you. But I knew that there was going to be someone come into my life that would mirror me. I just never knew who, when, or what that actually meant. Now, here you are."

Booth was gripping the chair harder now. His knuckles turning white and his hand began to cramp. His jaw was tightening and he began to grind his back teeth. But he still did not speak.

Angel took in all the subtle changes in Booths body language. He knew that stress was beginning to grab hold of Booth. He could hear Booths heart beating faster, smell the blood rushing through his veins. He had to choose his words carefully.

"The question that I need to find the answer to Booth is. Why? Why do you and I exist as mirror images of each other. What is the significance of it. And what does our future hold. Are we destined to work together? Or, are we just going to continue on in our separate lives, knowing that our other self is doing the same on the other side of the city." Suddenly Angel leaned forwards "What do you think Booth?" putting the ball into Booths court.

The twitching in Booths cheek had reached his eye. He was extremely uncomfortable now. His mind was racing. Angels questions had thrown him. He stared at Angel, who was sitting so casually in the chair opposite him. He thought for a moment then stood up. "I think. I think I need to go Angel. I can't do this right now. I don't understand what you are talking about. What do you mean you are a lot older than me. You can't be. I'm 40 and you are what? 25, 26? No skin care range is that good." Angel smiled knowing that he was referring to Cordelia's story about his good skin care regime.

He stood up and stepped towards Booth, placing his hand on his arm. "Booth I know that right now, you don't trust a word I'm saying. I know that you are FBI. I know that you want facts, not fiction. But I'm telling you. I AM older than you. And I did know about your existence, if not your name. But, I cannot tell you anything else yet. I need to know that you will trust me and believe me first. So. Go. Think about what I've told you. Come back when you want to know more. I will be here."

Booth looked at Angel. He could feel the coolness from his hand seeping through his shirt into his skin. What is with this guy and the cold hands? he thought to himself again, pulling away from Angel. He started towards the door then turned back to face Angel. "Tell Cordelia goodbye, and thanks for the food." he turned to open the door, then turned back for a moment. "I just need to think for a bit, OK? I'll be in touch"

Then he walked through the door pulling it closed behind him.

Angel stood in the middle of the living room, arms folded across his chest. "Well that went better than I'd hoped" he said out loud, knowing full well that Cordelia was standing behind the door listening to every word, "don't you think?" She pushed the door open and peeked around the corner, her grin reaching from ear to ear. "How did you know I was listening?" she asked. He held his arms out to her and walked towards her. She walked into his arms and wrapped hers around his waist.

He bent and kissed her on the tip of her nose. "Because that is always stuck where it should not be" he quipped. He smacked her on the bottom and laughed. "Come on. Let's go to bed and I'll tell you everything that we talked about because I know you will not go to sleep until I do."

She skipped ahead of him while he walked around the room turning off the lamps. He navigated through the maze of furniture in the dark easily, simply because he could, and followed her into the bedroom.

* * *

Booth drove home slowly. His mind was whirling. He stopped outside the Founding Fathers, debating whether to go in and have a strong drink. But, then thought better of it. Brennan would be worried. He left her at work, didn't leave her a message. He may even be in trouble for it. He could have a drink at home. He put the car into drive and continued on home.

He had a lot to think about. And how much was he going to tell Bones, if any?

He definitely had a lot to think about.


	9. Chapter 9

Angel and Cordy lay entwined, her slow steady breathing told him that she had reached that deep sleep state that would enable him to slip out of bed and not disturb her. This was becoming a habit lately.

He pulled on a pair of sweat pants and snuck out of the apartment and headed down the stairs to the office. He had given Booth, very, very sketchy details. He knew that when Booth came back - and he was positive that Booth would be back - he would come back asking questions. A lot of questions and he would be expecting answers. After all, Booth was him, and he would expect exactly the same thing.

He headed into the back room where boxes of files were stacked up. He stood in the doorway, his hands on his hips surveying the scene. How on earth was he going to find it.

* * *

Booth unlocked the door to the apartment and entered. He flipped the deadbolt and turned around. Brennan was sitting on the couch with Parker asleep, his head on her lap. She turned her blue eyes on him and he knew he was in trouble.

_Parker._ He had totally forgotten about him. He rubbed his forehead and dropped his keys on the sideboard. He walked over to her and bent down to kiss her head. "I'm so sorry Bones" he whispered. "Was he mad? Are you mad?"

Brennan looked at him frankly "He was a bit, I am, a lot. I covered for you as best I could. I told him you had been called out on an urgent case and would be back as soon as you could. He was OK. We had pizza for dinner. There's some in the fridge if you are hungry. Booth, where were you?" She had a worried crease down the centre of her forehead.

He sat on the coffee table in front of her and reached out for her hand. She didn't automatically offer it. So he picked it up and held it. He sighed loudly. "Bones. I." He looked at her hand. She removed her hand from his and lifted his chin to look at her. "Booth. Don't do that." He looked at her "Do what?" But he knew what she meant. He was hesitating, trying to avoid telling her something. She knew him too well. He sighed again. "Truth" she said firmly, still holding his chin.

Booth nodded. He couldn't lie to her. He'd tried in the past and it had always gone sour. When they finally got together they had made a pact. No secrets, no lies, honesty, always. He stood up. "Let me put Parker to bed then, we'll talk" He bent down and lifted his son off the couch, kissing his tousled hair. He carried him into the bedroom that they had set up for him and deposited him in his bed. He pulled the covers up over him and kissed his cheek "I'm sorry buddy. I'll make it up to you. Promise" he whispered to his boy.

He closed the door and walked over to the bar, grabbing a bottle and two glasses he headed back to the couch and sat next to Brennan. She leaned against him for a moment then grabbing his face, kissed him deeply. "I'm just glad you are OK. Don't do this again Booth. I don't care if you have to go somewhere after work. Just tell me next time, OK? Now. What's going on".

Booth poured them both a drink and handed a glass to Brennan. He leaned back against the couch and closed his eyes and took a long draught of the golden liquid. It burned his throat, but soothed his nerves. "I went back to see Angel" Brennan jumped forwards in her seat. "What?"

Booth held up a hand indicating that he wanted to keep talking. "Let me finish. I went back because I wanted to see for myself if it really had happened. I just kept thinking all day that it was a dream, or a trick of the light. So I jumped in my car and went back. But, Bones. He is real. I don't understand it, and I cannot make sense of it. He told me that he knew about me, not my name and not who I was exactly, but knew I existed. Who says that sort of shit Bones? I felt like I was in some wacky sci-fi, time warp movie.

He kept saying that I was a mirror of him, or something like that. And Bones, I have to tell you this because it is bugging the hell out of me. He is cold Bones. And I don't mean in a stand offish way. I mean he is _COLD_, to touch. When he shook my hand, and when he helped me get up after I fell over. And today when we were leaving he put his hand on my arm. It's weird. Like he's been in a freezer or something. And he's so quiet. It's creepy."

"He said that he wants to understand why we have been brought together. Why we exist in the same city. Why we are so similar. I'm freaked out Bones, I have to tell you. He wants me to come back and he said he will tell me more. But he said he needs to know I trust him. How the hell am I supposed to trust someone like that?" Booth finally stopped talked and took another drink.

He looked at Brennan with what she thought was almost desperation. She had listened carefully to what he was saying, but it all just seemed strange. People being mirrors of each other, knowing of someone's existence, cold bodied. She shook her head. "I don't know what to even say Booth. None of this has any substance for me. There is nothing that I can even grasp hold of and tell you that I understand, because, I don't. And I'm worried about you."

They sat together holding hands and talking late into the night.

* * *

Angel sat in the middle of the room with boxes opened all around him. Papers strewn everywhere. He had been trying to find the boxes that were Wesleys private files. After about 2 hours of rummaging he had found one that seemed like it might hold what he was looking for. He scanned one report after another, looking for those key words. Mirror, double, doppelganger, identical.

Suddenly he found something. It was a sheet of notes. At the top was a note _Angel, I know one day you will need this. I've tried to make it as clear as I can for you. Cheers, Wesley. PS: You can thank me later._

Wesley's carefully formed handwriting clearly laying out dot points on the page. Regarding an ancient addendum to the Shanshu Prophesy that Wesley had found at Wolfram & Hart. He couldn't retain the scroll, so he had made a few notes. It covered several key points. One sentence quoted Kierkegaard's three spheres of existence - the aesthetic the ethical, and the religious. This had been underlined several times. But Angel didn't know what that meant. It also mentioned the existence of another champion. A mortal man, honest, good, devout. The mortal mirror of Angel. Atoning for past sins. Needing to make wrongs right. Again, underlined to the point that the pen had torn through the paper. No denying that was definitely referring to Booth. A city of monuments and power. Well that made some sense. Washington was full of monuments and of course it was the political capital of the United States, full of powerful people.

He sighed, gathering up the few scraps of paper and walking back into the office. He added them to the file he had made up.

_So, was Booth this other champion that was mentioned? And why now? After all these years. Why suddenly be confronted with this. And what did it have to do with the Shanshu Prophecy_?

Angel had long given up on that. He was never going to be mortal again. He had accepted that. He needed to try to make sense of it. But how was he going to do it on his own. Wesley was long gone. He remembered the day Wesley had tried to tell him about this. He had dismissed it. Told Wes that he was too focused on the Shanshu and to let it go. He brushed a single tear from his cheek. His friend, his brother. He had not thought of Wesley for a long time and it brought a tug of sadness to him. He wished he had let Wesley finish his research now.

Angel shrugged, nothing to be done about it now. He locked the file in the drawer of his desk and decided that he could not think about it any more tonight.

He entered the bedroom silently and undressed, slipping under the covers, he curled his body up against the warmth that was Cordy. He wrapped his arms around her, burying his face into her hair. She made a little kitten noise and wriggled closer to him. He closed his eyes and willed himself to sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

Cordelia stood on the bottom step looking up at the building in front of her. She had never been here before. It was so big and official looking. She took a deep breath and started up the steps. She reached the top and hesitated for a moment, but her sense of adventure pushed her through the doors. She stopped at the information desk and asked for directions. The woman behind the counter handed her a visitors pass and pointed her in the right direction with a friendly smile. Cordelia returned the smile and headed off towards her goal.

A knock on the door pulled Brennans attention away from the bone fragments in front of her. She looked towards the door, her magnifying goggles still in place. Her eyes looked ten times bigger than they actually were and as she blinked, trying to focus on who had interrupted her, she heard, rather than saw the culprit.

"Oh my god, Temperance! You look hilarious. Your eyes are like some weird aliens!" She stood up and pulled the goggles up onto her forehead. "Cordelia! What are you doing here?" Brennan asked, looking past her hoping that Angel might be with her, as the girl came into the room, her head swivelling left and right looking at everything as she did. Cordy waved a large paper bag at her as she came closer. "I brought lunch!" she replied.

Brennan was still stand at her workbench, a long pair of tweezers in her hand, gripping a sliver of bone. Cordy zoomed in close and asked "What on earth is that?" Her fingers coming close to the tiny portions of bone laid out in an intricate pattern on the bench. "Please don't touch that!" Brennan restrained Cordys hand before she had a chance to disturb her work. "I'm sorry, but that has taken me four hours to arrange." Brennan explained. Cordy looked from Brennan to the fragments and back to Brennan with a look of disbelief "Four hours? Are you crazy? Gosh! I would have given up after ten minutes. I'm terrible at puzzles!" Cordy exclaimed.

She quickly turned and walked over to an empty bench and placed the bag on it, pulling out containers of Chinese food. "I got a bit of everything 'cos I didn't know what you would like" she explained as she opened up the little white boxes and held a pair of chopsticks out to Brennan with a huge grin.

Brennan still stood at her work station with a stunned look on her face. Normally, none of her colleagues would have interrupted her while she was working unless it was absolutely necessary, but then again, Cordy was not a colleague and she highly doubted that Cordy really had any concept of what was appropriate.

She pulled her goggles back into place and carefully placed the fragment of bone she was holding into place. Then laid a sheet of glass over her work so it would not be displaced. She pulled the goggles off and dropped them onto the bench and removed her gloves and came over to join Cordelia.

She had to admit, the food smelt good, and she was really hungry. She smiled at Cordy as she sat down and took the chopsticks. "Thank you, this is very kind. May I ask what brought you here, apart from lunch?" Brennan asked.

Cordy was chewing on a piece of chicken. She swallowed and looked at Brennan. "Did you know Booth came to see us again?" she asked. Without waiting for a response she continued excitedly "He just arrived at our office the other day. I was so surprised. He came back and wanted to talk to Angel. I wasn't there while they were speaking, but Angel told me later what they talked about. Angel is convinced that there is some connection between him and Booth." She barely took a breath and then continued.

"Angel and I come from a different world to you and Booth. But we are very similar, don't you think? I mean, Angel is quiet and broody, and tough, and a stickler for doing the right thing, and I get the impression that Booth is like that too". Brennan opened her mouth to speak but Cordelia continued on, oblivious. "And Angel is very much for helping people and righting wrongs, just like Booth does. But..." For the first time, Cordelia hesitated. Brennan took that as an opportunity to speak.

"Cordy, this is all very interesting, but what do you mean you come from a different world? I don't understand. I see what you mean about Angel and Booth being very similar personalities and of course they definitely look alike. But I get the feeling you are not telling me something. Something that you are scared to tell me?" Brennan tilted her head and the crease between her eyes became more pronounced.

Cordelia looked down at her food. The colour had drained from her face a little and she seemed to be struggling with what to say next. Brennan leaned across and patted her arm. She knew that this was a comforting thing to do sometimes. Cordelia looked at Brennan and she actually looked scared. "I think, I think that you and Booth need to know something about Angel, but I'm scared to tell you. You aren't going to understand it or even believe it. But it's true and it's something you need to know. But Angel is going to have to be the one to tell Booth." she stood up suddenly. "I can't. I shouldn't have come. I'm sorry"

She grabbed her purse and turned to leave the office. "Temperance, please convince Booth to come back. Angel is trying to solve a mystery that involves both him and Booth. He's struggling to make sense of it, but he knows it's important. It may not mean anything to Booth, but it does to Angel. It may just answer a question that he has lived with for a long time." Cordy looked at Brennan, her eyes pleading. "Please." And with that she left.

Brennan sat shocked. Cordelia had whirled in the door full of confidence and happiness and surprise and chatted away and then turned off. _What was she scared of saying? And why is she so desperate for Booth to go back._ This whole thing was just getting more and more strange.

She shook her head and took a few more bites of food. She looked across at her work station. The light was reflecting off the glass, beckoning her. She sighed. Brennan closed the containers of food and took them across to the fridge and deposited them inside. She could take them home and have the leftovers for dinner with Booth.

She returned to her station, put her goggles on and lifted the glass sheet and continued working. But her garbled conversation with Cordy was still buzzing through her mind, distracting her. Eventually she gave up trying to rearrange the slivers in front of her. She packed up and decided to track Booth down and tell him about her visitor.


	11. Chapter 11

Angel woke to find himself alone in the apartment. He wandered into the bathroom and took a shower. Wrapping a towel around his waist he walked out into the kitchen and found a note from Cordelia. She had gone out shopping. He smiled. "She's doing more than shopping" he thought to himself. Cordelia found it impossible not to try to 'help'. Problem was that sometimes her help, well, it tended to get her into trouble.

He returned to the bedroom, slipped into jeans and a sweater and wandered down to the office. He walked over to the desk and unlocked the drawer and pulled out the file he was working on. He laid everything out in front of him. He had to try to make sense of it all. There was a message here. He just had to work out what it was.

Wesleys notes kept drawing his eye. "There is something here. Why can't I just see it?" He started making his own notes. Trying to link up pieces of information. Something kept tugging at him, but he just couldn't find the link.

Cordelia entered the office. Her arms were empty. "Well, that seems to have been the most unsuccessful shopping trip you have ever been on" he quipped. She turned bright red and walked towards him, her head hanging down. He knew she was going to confess where she had been. She could never keep secrets from him. "I went to see Temperance." she confessed. He sat back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest, staring at her.

She came around the desk and deposited herself on his lap. "I'm sorry, I just thought that if I went to see her, maybe I could convince her to come back with Booth 'cos I know you need to work out what is going on". She lay her head on his shoulder. Angel pulled his arms out from under her and wrapped them around her, hugging her tightly. He kissed her hair and said "I know Cordy, but you can't make the man do what he doesn't want to do. He's me, remember? How often can you make me do what I don't want to do?" She lifted her head and nibbled his ear. "I seem to remember making you do plenty of things you didn't want to do" she giggled into his ear. He pulled away from her laughing, "OK, apart from that. Seriously. You know what I'm talking about" looking seriously at her. She nodded "I know, I know."

She sighed. Her attention turned to the papers on the desk. Is this the Shanshu Prophesy?" she asked. He nodded "Yep, well the bits of it that Wesley had written down and translated, plus some other notes. But it just doesn't make any sense to me". He pushed the papers away from himself in frustration. "I just wish Wesley was here. He'd be able to help me" he said.

Cordelia stood up and walked over to a filing cabinet in the corner of the office. She unlocked the bottom drawer and pulled everything forwards. She squatted down and pulled something out of the back of the drawer. A small box. She carried it over to Angel and handed it to him. "Wesley gave me this before." she hesitated for a moment "before he left. He told me that you would need it one day, and that I would know when the time was right. I think he meant now Angel."

She stood looking at his face. He held the box, looking from it to her and back again. He opened the lid and inside were some computer cd's. They had labels on them. He flipped through them, when one jumped out at him. He pulled it from the box and sat staring at it. "Cordy" he said looking at her. His eyes were almost black and as large as marbles. She looked at the label on the disk and her eyes matched his in size.

The label was yellow with large red lettering. It simply said "Shanshu Prophesy"

Angel slid it into the drive. The computer whirred and a document flashed up on the screen. Unbeknown to them Wesley had made a habit of scanning documents and scrolls and books and saving them to disk. Angel sent a prayer of thanks to whoever invented computers and to Wesley. He was still helping him, after all this time.

Before him was the Shanshu Prophesy, along with notes that Wesley had made, trying to define and explain the meaning of it. Angel tried to read it on the computer screen, but got frustrated, so he hit the print button and sheet after sheet spat out of the printer.

Cordy hugged Angel and they stared at the information in front of them. There it was in black and white. And it was written in a way that Wesley knew that Angel would understand. He knew that Angel got frustrated with the language that many prophecies were written in, they were jumbled and full of riddles. Angel liked things to be straight forward, and Wesley had done just that, rewritten it in plain English. _God bless you Wes_ Angel thought to himself.

Along with the other notes that Angel found, he actually began to think that he might be able to start to solve the mystery of Booth. He had that gnawing feeling in the pit of his belly that this prophesy was the missing part of the puzzle of himself and Booth. All he had to do now. Was piece it together.


	12. Chapter 12

Brennan and Booth drove home. The silence could almost have been cut with a knife. He'd not been happy when Brennan had told him about Cordelias' visit. Not happy at all. They never drove home like this. Booth was morose and moody, Brennan was jittery and kept flicking sideways looks at him as he drove. "What? What is it Brennan? You keep looking at me!" Booth finally exploded. She was stunned at his outburst. She backed up against the door and looked at the road ahead, refusing to answer him. _Not while he was in this mood_.

She'd seen him like this before, several times. The last time, was one of the worst, when he and Hannah broke up. He was closed, furious, broken, angry. She had worked by his side for weeks afterwards and they had never spoken about it. He would drift off into sullen moods where nobody was allowed to enter. But she stayed by his side, hovering on the outside, waiting for him to come back. And he did. Finally, he came into her arms and into her life.

They had been finishing up a particularly nasty case. A child had gone missing and they had spent weeks chasing clues. These cases were the worst for Booth. Parker was away with his mother and he hadn't seen him for three weeks. That was always hard on Booth. No matter where he was in his head, he always let it go when Parker was with him. But that case. It was just brutal.

They had been sitting at the bar, drinking. Trying to let the horror of the past few weeks go. She had been telling him something, she couldn't remember exactly what it was now. She remembered laying her hand on his arm. Usually he just let her hand sit on his arm, this time, he covered it with his and let his thumb rub over the back of her hand. She remembered it clearly. The sensation was intense, warm, and not unwelcome. He had looked up into her eyes and he had leaned in and kissed her. Out of the blue. Really kissed her. And he had said "You know I am in love with you Bones, don't you?"

Those words had spun her completely off her axis. She and Booth had been playing this back and forth, mistimed game for years, but for once. For once they were in the same place at exactly the same time. She had been holding down her feelings for him since she had finally declared her love for him and he had shot her down when he told her that he was with Hannah. But that had fallen apart and he had been a shattered man. She had wanted to tell him she loved him still. She had wanted to hold his hand and stroke his face and tell him that she was still there. But of course, she couldn't. He would have rejected her and claimed that she was just pitying him. So she just kept her distance, remained professional, and was his partner. Until that night at the bar.

It was the heralding of their life as not only partners, but as a couple. And had remained strong ever since. His shifts of mood were not foreign to Brennan. She had seen him in many different modes, but these dark places he went to. They were something she still had not managed to understand. And so, she simply let him be. He had to work through them in his own way. He would talk when he felt like talking, and that was that.

Booth glared at her for a moment, then turned his attention back to the road and continued the drive home in silence. His hands tensing and releasing on the steering wheel. A muscle in his cheek twitching. Signs that Brennan recognised as stress. She sighed and lay her head against the window and closed her eyes.

Booth pulled the car into their driveway and turned the car off. He sat staring at his hands. "I'm sorry, OK? I know I've been a pain in the ass. But I'm sorry. You haven't done anything wrong. It's just me, my head".

He got out of the car and walked around to open her door. She got out of the car not looking at him. He grabbed her by the arm. "Bones?" She simply turned her blue eyes on him and whispered "I'm OK", and walked towards the apartment. He slammed the car door and muttered to himself "Booth, you are a damned idiot!" He stalked after her.

After dinner they were sitting in the living room. He was trying to watch a sports show and she was reading a draft of her new novel. The first she had written in quite a while. He let his eyes flick over to her, watching her make notes on the pages. He drew in a deep breath "Bones? Can I talk to you?" he asked, a note of desperation in his voice. She looked up and smiled at him "Of course you can. I was just waiting for you to be ready." She put her notes to one side and joined him on the sofa.

He picked up one of her hands and examined the palm of it for a moment, then lifted it to his mouth and kissed her finger tips. "Bones, I'm sorry. I was a total dick. I've just been bamboozled by this whole Angel thing. It's weird and its stupid, but I just don't know what to do about it" He looked at her. His eyes were asking her for an answer that he knew she couldn't give him.

She looked at him for a moment, took a deep breath, then said "We have to go back there, you know that don't you? I don't know about you, but I want to try to understand what's going on. I want to talk to Angel. I want to find out who he is, why he is so interested in you, and why you and he look, and act so alike. So I say, we go back. We ask the hard questions and we don't leave until he tells us exactly what is going on." She sat nodding her head, agreeing with herself.

Booth squeezed her hand. He knew she was right, but for some reason, he was scared. And Booth didn't scare easily. This was just out of his realm of understanding. He felt like he was part of some weird science fiction reality show where he didn't have any control. And Booth hated not being in control. He finally spoke. "You're right I guess. But, I'm not happy about any of it. Tomorrow is Saturday. We'll go tomorrow, early."

That having been settled they sat discussing their plan for the day until the small clock on the mantle chimed midnight. They went to bed, Brennan nervous and excited about seeing this mysterious man again. Booth just plain nervous. Sleep was elusive, but neither one let the other one know. They simply lay in each other's arms waiting for the morning.


	13. Chapter 13

Booth woke up early. Brennan was laying on her side, curled up like a child. She looked so beautiful. He smiled at the wet patch on her pillow. One day he was going to take a picture of her sleeping to prove to her that she did drool like everyone else. But if you asked her? Of course she doesn't drool!

He snuck out of the apartment and jumped in the car. He hit the connect button on the car phone and punched in a speed dial. He hit the ignition and started driving towards Sweets home.

"Hello?" A croaky voice answered the phone. "Sweets! It's Booth." Sweets voice, still croaky responded "Yeah, I got that. Why are you ringing me so early, and why are you ringing me at home?" Booth looked at his watch and sighed. It was 6.12am. "Ahhh yeah. Sorry about that Sweets but I need to talk." He could hear Sweets coughing on the line then, in a clearer voice, "Can't this wait until I get to the office Booth?" Booth answered curtly "Sweets, if it could wait, would I be ringing you now? No. So I'm just about at your place. I suggest you get up and get a pot of coffee going. I'm going to need it, and I suspect so will you" and with that he hung up. He had completely gone against what he and Bones had agreed upon. Not to tell anyone else, but he needed some perspective and Sweets was the only person he trusted with this.

Sweets flopped back onto his pillow letting the phone drop to the floor. "Great!" He rolled out of bed, stuck his feet into a pair of slippers and padded out to the kitchen. "If Booth says he wants coffee, I better make coffee", he thought to himself. He went into the bathroom and washed his face and pulled on some sweat pants and a t-shirt.

By the time the coffee was ready, Booth was knocking on the door. He dragged himself across the floor and opened the door, staring at Booth with an expression that could only be described as irritated. "Your coffee is ready" he said as he turned his back on Booth and walked to the kitchen to pour two cups. Booth closed the door and followed him "Good morning to you too sunshine" he quipped grinning at the younger man.

They sat facing each other. Booth was wide awake, alert and ready to talk. S weets was slumped over his coffee, hair dishevelled, unshaven, still bleary eyed. He raised his eyes to glare at Booth "And what was SO important that it simply could NOT wait until we got into the office?" he asked exaggerating his words. Booth smirked at him "still a little sleepy-weepy Sweets? Ooh, poor baby. Look, I needed to talk to you privately, and here is as private as I could get. Bones doesn't know I'm here, and I don't want her or anyone else to know I saw you today. Get it?" he was pointing directly at Sweets.

Sweet slurped his coffee and nodded. He knew Booth well enough now to recognise that tone in his voice. Something was going on. "OK, I get it. Sorry, but you woke me up Booth and told me you were coming over with about 5 minutes notice. I'm awake. I'm awake. So what's going on? He asked.

Booth took a long draught of coffee, then pulled a face and looked at Sweets. "This is coffee?" Sweets looked defiantly back at him "Yes. It's what I drink. It's decaf." Booth rolled his eyes and barked back. "Sweets its 6.30am. I need an actual cup of coffee. Can I stir an extra spoonful of ground coffee into it or something? Oh well, never mind. " He pushed it aside and folded his hands on the table.

"OK, Sweets." He paused thinking "Hypothetically speaking. Do you think it's possible for people, us, or, a random person, to have a double?" Sweets was staring at him, his mouth dropped open just a fraction as Booth was speaking. Booth continued "Like, for example, you go out one day, and out of the blue you meet someone who looks exactly like you. And I don't mean pale, pasty faced, skinny with messy hair and puppy dog eyes, like you. I mean identical twin, doppelganger, down to the mole on your face and the scar on your hand, exactly like you." he paused. "So, is that possible?" Booth sat expectantly looking at Sweets.

"You're kidding me, right? You woke me up at 6.00am, come over here, criticise my coffee, call me pasty faced, and ask me that?" Sweets was somewhat annoyed at this moment. But Booth remained firm "Yes, that's what I'm asking you. Sweets, look. I'm asking because, Brennan has met someone. Well, I've met him too, and. Sweets the man is my double! I mean he's exactly like me. It's weird! He has the same mole next to his eye like I do" Booth pointed to his mole, then at his scar "and he has a scar just like this one on my forehead. And he smiles just like me and he sounds just like me. Sweets, the guy even stands like me, walks like me. It's ridiculous! I know I sound like a crazy man right now, but I'm telling you the truth!"

Sweets recognised that Booth was becoming agitated now. He reached across the table and grabbed Booths arm. "OK. I understand what you are saying. But I have to say Booth, it's out of my realm of expertise. I'm a psychologist. If this man is real, and from what you are telling me, Brennan has met him too? Then it's not in your head. Booth, that's what I deal with. You know that. What's in your head." Booth pulled his arm away "Sweets I just need your opinion, not a clinical assessment. Is it possible for people to have a double? It's a simple question." He stared at Sweets taking another swig of coffee and grimacing "Geez, I gotta buy you some actual coffee."

Sweets stood up and paced for a moment. He turned and looked at Booth, who was peering into his cup still unconvinced that it was coffee. "Booth, can you forget about the coffee for a moment. Look. I suppose, there is a genetic possibility that two people with the right mix of genes could produce someone that closely resembles say, you or me. That, I can sort of understand. But you are saying that he has scars in the same place as you? And his physical stance and expressions are the same as you? That just doesn't seem possible." Sweets stood rubbing at his eyes. "I just don't know Booth. Are you sure it's not just a coincidence, and he just seems a bit like you? Booth shook his head, "No, there are no coincidences like this. He IS me Sweets." Sweets nodded and replied I'd have to do some research I suppose, check some medical journals. But you understand, this is not my area. So anything I find, will just be other peoples findings and opinions. Can I get back to you on it? How urgently do you need to know?" Sweets stood facing Booth not believing that he was actually going to follow up on Booths question.

"Great, that's all I ask Sweets. I just want to know if it's possible, and what are the odds of it happening." Booth stood up and shoved the coffee cup across the table "And while you are at it, can you please buy some actual coffee so that next time I'm here, I don't have to drink your dirty dishwater."

With that he turned and walked to the door calling back over his shoulder "I'll see you at the office, and remember, not a word t E." spelling out the word and left the apartment.

Sweets stood staring at the door with his mouth hanging open. "The next time you're here? You're coming over again?" he called out weakly.


	14. Chapter 14

Booth pulled up outside his apartment. He grabbed the box containing the donuts he had stopped and picked up from the local bakery. He had decided that this would be his cover story if Brennan was up. He simply went out for donuts. _Yep. That's the plan._

He opened the door to the apartment and she was sitting in the kitchen, waiting. She had _that _ look on her face. The one that says 'you're hiding something from me'. He took a deep breath, entered the apartment, grinning "I got donuts for breakfast". He walked towards her holding the box high. She tipped her head to the side and squinted slightly. Booth reminded her of a puppy who had retrieved a bone from the garden. She smiled at herself, believing she had thought of a very clever quip.

"mmmm, the coffee smells good" Booth commented. He deposited the box of donuts in front of her and went to pour himself a large mug of black gold. After that dishwater Sweets had tried to pass off as coffee, he was really looking forward to this. He took a long swig and closed his eyes as it swished around his mouth and flowed down his throat warming him as it went down. "Yes!" He declared and held his cup high.

Brennan turned around and looked at him with a surprised expression. "What is so good about the coffee today? I made it the same as every other morning?" Booth looked a bit sheepish, he grinned at her and came to sit at the table with her, grabbing a powdered sugar donut and shoving the entire thing in his mouth. One, because he was hungry, and two, because it would give him a few minutes to think about how he would answer her when she asked him where he'd been really. And she would ask.

She grabbed a jelly filled donut and nibbled at the edge of it, watching him struggling with the mouthful of sugary donut. He had that 'deer in headlights' look in his eyes. She knew he had been up to something. She just had to wait for him to crack and tell her what it was. She sipped her coffee and waited.

Booth slurped some coffee to help him swallow. He grinned at her "That was probably a bit too big to try to eat all in one go, huh." He couldn't keep eye contact with her. He realised that she knew something was up. She had that 'I'm waiting' look in her eye. He played with the handle of his cup, and stood up. "Would you like a refill?" he held his hand out for her mug. She smiled and handed it to him "Thanks, that would be nice. So, where did you go this morning. Before you stopped for donuts"

Booth had just started to drain the last of the coffee out of his mug when she spoke. He choked on it, and turned to look at her. She simply sat smiling at him. He turned back to the coffee maker, his back to her. He leant on the counter "Damn" he thought to himself. He poured two mugs and returned to the table.

Brennan continued to smile at him as she ate a little more donut and sipped at the hot coffee. "Good donuts by the way Booth". He sighed. "OK, so you know I went out early this morning." She smiled wider "Yes, you left just before 6.00am" Booth stared at her. "Why didn't you say something when I got up?" he asked. She shrugged, "Because I know that you will always tell me anyway when you are ready". Booth shook his head. He smiled back at her. "Fair call Bones. OK. I went to see Sweets. I know we said we wouldn't tell anyone, but, I told him about Angel, well sort of. I didn't tell him his name or anything. I just told him that we had met someone that was exactly like me and asked him if he thought that it was possible. Oh, by the way, remind me to buy him some coffee beans. He drinks this pig swill that he thinks is coffee. Terrible." Brennan laughed "He drinks decaffeinated coffee Booth. It's quite acceptable. So, what did he say?" She leaned her elbows on the table, cupping her chin in her hands.

Booth mirrored her posture "He wasn't sure. He said that it might be possible for two people with the right genetic composition to produce a child that was very similar to another person, but he was stumped when it came to the whole personality, character thing. He said he could look up some medical journals. But really, it's way out of his area. Which is true."

Booth dropped his hands from his chin and wrapped them around his coffee mug. "The interesting thing though Bones. He didn't seem to think I was imagining it all. He actually listened to me. Plus he knows that you have met and spoken to Angel too. Perhaps that's why I went to see him really. Not to get an answer one way or the other, but just to see if he thought I was going crazy." Brennan had not interrupted him. She simply nodded every now and then and watched his face. "So what do we do now Booth? Do we still go and see Angel today? Or are we going to wait to see what Sweets says?" she asked. She reached across the table and slipped her fingers into his hand giving it a squeeze. "What do you want to do Booth?" she asked.

Booth lifted her hand up and entwined his fingers with hers, bringing her hand to his face. He dropped a kiss onto the back of it. "Honestly Bones? I'm not sure how I feel. Part of me wants to go storming over there demanding to know the whole story. And part of me wants to forget we ever met and just go on with my life. But I guess that's not possible, is it?" he said staring into her eyes. She shrugged "Whatever you decide Booth, I'll go along with it" she responded.

"Argghhh!" He sat back in his chair and covered his eyes, his hands splayed across his face. "I just don't know what to do! I really just don't know what to do." He sat like this for a moment, then stood up. "I need a shower" he said and stalked off to the bathroom. Brennan sat quietly at the table, she knew that Booth was torn at the moment. Part of him really wanted to get to the bottom of this whole Angel thing. It was driving him crazy. The other part was wanting to just go back in time, forget they ever met him. She wished now she had never mentioned this to Booth in the first place. She wished she'd never gone out that night and met Cordelia. She sighed and got up and washed up their mugs and put the other donuts in the refrigerator.

She could hear the shower running. Booth would be standing leaning on the wall letting the water hammer the back of his neck. He always did that when he was stressed. Part of her wanted to go in there and join him and help him relax, but she knew that this just wasn't the right time for that. Booth needed some alone time. She walked into the bedroom and made the bed and got dressed for the day. She sat at the makeup table in the room and stared at herself in the mirror. Where is this going to go? And what effect is it going to have on us? This and other questions running through her mind.

Booth was standing in the shower. The hot water was beating out a rhythm on his back. It helped soothe his tension. His eyes were closed. He was praying. Praying for guidance, for help, for answers, for an answer.


	15. Chapter 15

PLEASE NOTE: This Chapter contains adult themes and is rated M. It is unsuitable for minors.

* * *

Sweets walked into his office, using his foot to close the door behind him. His arms were full of medical journals. He had no idea what he was looking for, only that he had told Booth that he would try. He dumped them unceremoniously on the desk and stood looking at them as the pile teetered and then began sliding. Several slid off of the desk and landed on the floor behind it, a couple landed on his chair and the rest just spread across the surface of his desk.

"Great" he muttered. He walked around the desk and bent down to pick up the fallen journals. He dumped them back onto the desk and sat down staring at the pile. "What was I thinking? Why did I even suggest to Booth that I would look? I'm not going to find what he wants, it's impossible!" But deep down Sweets knew exactly why he had agreed. Because Booth was like the father he had never had, like the older brother that he had never had, he was the best friend that he had never had. He would do anything to help Booth lose that desperate look in his eye if he could. And so, he would spend the day reading these journals, hoping something would jump out of the pages, but knowing that in reality, it wouldn't. He dreaded having to tell Booth that he couldn't help him, but he knew that was ultimately what was going to happen.

He picked up the journal on the top of the pile opened it and began scanning the pages.

* * *

Brennan was sitting on the end of the bed reading a book when Booth finally surfaced. His hair was wet, beads of water were clinging to his chest, he had a towel loosely wrapped around his lower torso. He took a couple of steps into the room and stood looking at Brennan. She looked up from her book and licked her lips unconsciously. Nothing made her do that except for the sight of him naked. It always got the same response from her. Desire. It was immediate, she couldn't help it.

They had agreed right from the start that they were physically suited to each other, their stamina and basic lustiness were perfectly in synch. He smiled at her. "Feel better now?" she asked. "Not yet, but I will shortly" he responded as he dropped the towel. She stood up and walked into his open arms. His mouth latched onto hers with a fierceness that drew her breath out of her. His hands grasped her to his naked body, snaking up and down her back, tangling in her hair, sliding down to her hips and pulling her hard against him.

She could feel him pressing into her. She let her hands slip down his wide back to his buttocks and digging her fingers in just a little. He moaned and walked her backwards to the bed. She turned the tables on him just before they got there and spun him around and pushed in down onto his back.

Her fingers quickly unbuttoned her shirt and slipped it off, her bra quickly followed. He lay back with his arms behind his head. His body was responding to her little strip show, and she made sure that he knew she was watching him and enjoying what she was seeing. Her jeans were unzipped and slipped down to the floor taking her panties with them. She stepped out of them and climbed up onto the bed straddling him.

She let her hands wander across his body, meandering and exploring every inch of him, finally taking hold of him and stroking him until he grabbed her hands to make her stop. "Bones" he gasped. He slipped his hand between her legs and flipped her off of him and onto her back. He quickly rolled over and kneeled between her legs. She looked down and he was right there. Teasing her, nudging her. She looked up into his smoky dark eyes, so full of love and desire.

Brennan reached up with one hand and pulled his face to hers kissing him deeply, her other hand guiding him to her. Their bodies melding and sliding and rocking as one.

* * *

Brennan was in the shower, Booth stood in the open doorway of the shower cubicle watching her wash her hair. "Booth, the water will splash out onto the floor!" she said laughing at him. "He smirked "And? I'm enjoying this too much to close the door, unless you let me come in there with you and help?" He took a step in and she threw a washcloth at him. "You never give up do you" she laughed, but she did not say no. He closed the door behind him and whispered into her ear "There, I've closed the door".

* * *

Across town, Cordelia sat in the bathroom on the stool watching Angel showering. The shower curtain was pulled back all the way. He stood in all his glory in front of her, strong muscled legs, firm stomach, broad chest, his arms raised washing his hair. She sighed as she watched soap bubbles gliding down his body, like tiny glass orbs. Each one containing a shimmering rainbow. She watched one slip down his neck, across his collarbone, down the curve of his chest, coming to hesitate for a moment on his nipple, then popping. She bit her lip.

Angel was watching her watch him. It was a game he liked to play. He enjoyed the sensuality of it. It was always a test to see how long she would last, sitting on her little stool watching him. He rinsed his hair, letting the water cascade over his face, then he turned and stood facing her, the water beating on his back. He soaped up his hands and started lathering his body. His large hands sweeping up and down his torso.

"OK, OK! You win!" she exclaimed as his hands were moving lower. She quickly shucked her clothing and stepped over to the shower, slipping in next to him. He dropped the soap, "oops" he exclaimed, unconvincingly. She grinned and squatted down to retrieve it. One hand holding the soap and the other gripping his ankle. She allowed her hands to slowly slide up his legs. He loved the feel of her hands on him. They were so soft to touch, yet strong as they gripped and massaged his legs.

He closed his eyes. Gasping as he could feel her hands slipping up the inside of his thighs, her breasts dragging against his buttocks, and sliding up his back. The soap acting as a slippery film between them, heightening the sensation of her nipples against him. He spun around and looked down into her hazel eyes. She smiled at him. Angel dipped his head to kiss her deeply. Her hands finding him, readying him. It took no more than that. He reached across and pulled the shower curtain closed, there was going to be a lot of water splashed around.


	16. Chapter 16

Angel and Cordy were just dropping off to sleep when the doorbell rang. "Ignore it" Angel mumbled, his head pushing deeper into his pillow. It rang again. And then again. Cordy sat up and pushed her feet into her slippers, wearily standing up. "I'll go. Angel, it might be a job!". "Hrrmph, don't care" he mumbled back at her, pulling a second pillow over his head.

She pulled on a robe and slowly started down the stairs. The doorbell rang again. "OK, OK. Jeez! I'm coming!" she called down the stairwell. She reached the door and opened it peeking through the gap the security chain allowed.

"Morning Cordelia!" Brennan said brightly. Booth stood behind her and nodded his greeting. Cordy stood for a moment, squinting at them, the light was bright and her eyes were adjusting from the darkness of her apartment. "Ummm, Temperance? Booth! Hi! I wasn't expecting you! We were just going to bed" she said. Brennan, blinked, "What? It's 10.00am!" she exclaimed. Cordy stammered "Oh! Did I say, going to bed?" her hand lightly smacking her forehead as if to knock sense into her brain. "I meant to say we were just getting up! I'm so stupid sometimes" she pushed the door to, and slid the security chain off and opened the door up fully. "Come in! I'll just go hurry Angel up. We are a bit lazy this morning and we weren't expecting anyone. Sorry!" She ushered them into the hallway "Just go into the office and make yourself comfy. We won't be long!" She hurried up the stairs.

"Well don't tell me that wasn't weird!" Booth looked at Brennan incredulously. They walked into the office and looked around. It was quite dark. The heavy blinds were down with curtains pulled across them making the room almost black. Brennan walked swiftly across the room and started pulling back the curtains and opening the blinds letting the sunshine stream into the room. "That's better!" she turned around and smiled at Booth. "Bones, you can't just walk into someone's place and start opening up their curtains like you own them! Just come over here and sit down, please!" as she pulled back a second set of curtains and rolled up the blind. The room was full of bright morning sunshine now, glinting off the many ornaments and picture frames that were spread throughout the room making it almost glitter.

Brennan turned to smile at Booth when the door opened. Angel took a step into the room and was rocketed backwards by the assault of sunlight on his body. "What the hell!" he yelled. He and Cordy disappeared back into the hallway and Booth heard what he could swear was a fire extinguisher going off. "Bones!" Booth hissed "I swear his hand was on fire!" Brennan frowned at him and shook her head "That's impossible" she hissed back. A few minutes later Cordelia entered the room, her face was quite white and she rushed over to the windows pulling down the blinds and closing the curtains. She turned and smiled apologetically at them "Sorry, but Angel has a bit of a light sensitivity problem and sunlight makes him very uncomfortable".

Cordy turned on the lights and busied herself putting on a pot of coffee. "Would you both like a coffee, or a juice, or something else to drink?" she asked brightly, the colour returning to her face. "Angel won't be a minute. He's a bit embarrassed." She added, winking. Booth looked over at Brennan with an _I told you so_ face. She just shrugged and turned to Cordy "I'm sorry Cordelia, I forgot about his problem. I just thought it would be nice to lighten the room up. I'm really sorry. Coffee would be fine for us both." she truly looked apologetic as the spoke to Cordy. "Oh don't worry about it. Angel is fine. He'll be here in a minute." Cordy replied turning back to the coffee maker as it began to beep. "Two coffees coming right up!" she called to them over her shoulder as she grabbed large black coffee mugs from the cupboard in front of her. She poured milk into a jug and placed the mugs of hot coffee, the milk and a pot of sugar cubes on a tray and carried it over to the coffee table in front of the couch where Booth and Brennan were sitting.

Booth grabbed a cup of steaming coffee and took a swig. He sat with a mouth full of hot liquid, not quite understanding what it was he had in his mouth. He could have sworn Cordelia said coffee. But what was in his mouth? It was not coffee as he knew it. He forced himself to swallow and put the cup back on the table. Adding about 4 sugar cubes to the cup and stirring it vigorously hoping that the sugar would mask the taste of whatever it was she had in that pot. _God this is almost as bad as Sweets coffee_ he thought to himself. Brennan sat demurely sipping at her drink, her face masking whatever she thought of the coffee.

The door to the office opened and Angel entered the room. Brennan felt the air leave her lungs with a whoosh when she looked at him. It still shocked her how much like Booth he was. She almost felt shy around him, without understanding why. Just at that moment he smiled at her and she almost dropped her mug. She fumbled with it clattering as she struggled to put it on the coffee table without spilling its contents. Too embarrassed to return his gaze, she looked at Booth, who was frowning at her. He recognised the signs of a woman who was attracted to a man, and he didn't like it one bit. And on top of that he didn't like the fact that he was actually feeling jealous about her being attracted to a man who looked exactly like him. It was disconcerting and made him uncomfortable.

He turned his attention back to Angel, who was taking a seat opposite them. Booth noticed his hand. It looked odd, like it was healing from a burn. His eyes flicked from the hand to Angels eyes. They were staring straight back at him, daring him to ask. Booth and Angel were locked in a staring competition for a few minutes, neither speaking or breaking their gaze. Cordy and Brennan were watching this strange interaction, both silent. Cordy, who couldn't take the tension any longer spoke up "For God's sake will you two stop acting like a pair of bucks. Angel, tell them. Get it over with!" Her tone was sharp and almost anxious.

Booth stared back at Angels hand. It looked different than it did five minutes ago, like it had almost healed over. He frowned and looked back at Angels face, whose expression had not changed, still challenging him to ask. Booth, unable to contain himself finally did just that. "Your hand was burnt when you came into the room earlier, wasn't it. But now. Now it looks almost healed. How is that possible. And while we are on the subject, your hand caught on fire when you came into this room before didn't it? How? Why? What the hell is going on?" He jumped to his feet and took a step towards Angel, standing over him, his hands balled into fists, his jaw clenched.

Angel sat looking up at Booth, not speaking. He simply folded his hands in his lap and leaned back into his chair and smirked. This infuriated Booth even more "So help me Angel, if you don't start talking" He raised his fist. Angel spoke quietly "What will you do Agent Booth? Hit me? Yell at me a bit more? I'm hardly intimidated by either. I still don't think you are ready to hear the truth, but seeing as you are so insistent, fine. I'll tell you what you want to know. But. You have to sit down, shut your mouth and listen. And not move and NOT interrupt me until I am done speaking." Angel waited for Booth to agree to his terms.

Booth dropped his fist and turned and walked back to the couch and dropped down next to Brennan, who grabbed at his hands with hers. She looked at him and nodded "Just let him speak, please. This is what we came here for, remember?" Booth let out a heavy sigh. "Fine" was all he said.

Angel stood and walked over to the fireplace and leaned on the mantle, rubbing at his forehead for a moment. He then began to speak. His voice was quiet, calm, almost soothing.

"What I am about to tell you can go no further than this room. Ever. I need you to understand that first and foremost." He looked over at Booth and Brennan. Booth sat stony faced staring at him, his mouth clenched, a muscle twitching in his cheek, he nodded one quick curt nod in agreement. Brennan spoke up "You have our word". Cordelia came and sat next to Brennan and grabbed one of her hands and gave her a small smile. "It's all going to be OK, don't worry" she reassured her and turned her head to look at Angel and beamed at him. "Go on baby, tell them your story. Our story."

Angel looked from Cordelia to Brennan to Booth and began to speak. His voice developed a musical tone, his speech altered and almost adopted the lilt of a light Irish brogue. His eyes were closed, his head tilted up as though he was remembering a long forgotten childhood story. Words began dripping from his lips, floating over his audience, washing over them. They sat mesmerised, unable to look away from the man in front of them, held captive by his words.

265 years ago there was a boy called Liam, living in Ireland.

And so, Booth and Brennan learnt who, and what Angel was...


	17. Chapter 17

Booth had sat, reluctantly quiet during Angels monologue. Brennan's hand restraining him had helped. His eyes had not left the man in front of them. It was funny. It almost felt like he was held down and calmed by invisible hands. He heard and took in every word that was being spoken.

Angel had assumed his stance at the fireplace for a good reason. He wanted to be above them, looking down on his audience. He used something that he had not done in a 100 years or more. Some called it "the thrall" others referred to it as "glamouring". Angel disliked it, however in this case, it was a useful tool. He knew what Booths reaction might have been had he not been, calmed.  
His speech over, Angel relaxed and dropped his gaze, and waited.

Booth sat stony faced for a minute or two then exploded out of his seat, finally released from the invisible restraints that held him there.

"You have _GOT_ to be kidding me. _Right_? Bones? Please tell me you didn't buy any of this cockamamie rubbish?" he looked down at her. Brennan was still sitting, Cordelias hand firmly grasped in hers. She was trying to understand what she had just heard, her forehead creased into a hard frown, but it made no sense to her. None whatsoever.

Booth reached down and grabbed her free hand and yanked her up from the sofa. "We are getting out of here. Right Now. And YOU!" He jabbed a finger at Angel. "You must think I am a complete fool, if you think I am going to believe that you are a, a. Oh God I can't even make myself say it!". "Vampire" Brennans voice quietly said. Booths head snapped around and he stared at her "Oh don't tell me. Bones! This is. It's. It's rubbish! It's ridiculous! There is no such thing! It's a fairytale. A myth. A story told to scare little kids! Come on. We are leaving" He began dragging Brennan towards the door, pulling her hand from Cordy's.

Angel stood silently, his head cocked slightly to one side, a familiar smirk on his face. He knew this was going to be Booths reaction. Booth was a man of reality. He knew what he could see, what he could touch, what he could taste. He had no knowledge of anything other than his own world. A world he was comfortable in. Where things were tangible and real, black and white. Brennan was another kettle of fish. She was a woman of science. She also thrived on facts. She believed in what she discovered, in what was proven to her. She had not commented or shown any real reaction one way or the other. Yet.

Cordelia stood and walked over to Angel, reaching up she planted a kiss on his cheek and whispered "Beautiful, baby" to him. He smiled down at her and stroked her face. She turned and spoke. "So now you know. Now you know all about us. We know you don't believe it, but you go home. Think about what Angel has told you. Put it together with what you have seen. Hey, get on the computer and Google vampires. _They exist!" _Booth & Brennan were at the door. They turned and stared at Cordelia. "Temperance. Do you honestly think I am so naive that I would be here with Angel if I didn't believe he is a good man? I'm no different to you. I love him. He's good and honest and kind and gentle. He loves me. And he wants to do the right thing. He want to help people. He is exactly the same as Booth. Exactly the same Temperance." She nodded at Brennan willing her to really listen to her.

Brennan blinked a few times then looked at Booth who was pulling her through the door as fast as he could. All she could do was follow him. Brennan glanced back at the couple standing in the room just before she was pulled from it. They stood. Their arms around each other watching her leave. Angel smiled and mouthed one word "BELIEVE". Then she was out the door and being shoved into her seat by Booth, who stormed around the car and slammed the door shut.

* * *

"That was the biggest bunch of bullshit I have _EVER_ heard. I cannot believe I actually sat through that load of crap!" He started the car and pulled out into the traffic without really looking. A driver in a car behind him tooted and Booth unceremoniously stuck his hand out the window and gave him the finger. "Goddam Vampires. Damned 265 years old. Bullshit scourge of Europe. Drinks pigs blood my ass!" Booth was muttering the whole way back to their apartment.

He was still venting when they got inside. "We are never going back there. Do you hear me Bones? NEVER! I cannot believe it. I WON'T! I just want to forget we ever met them, ever went there, ever heard that ridiculous rubbish. Please do not mention it again EVER!" He poured himself a large glass of scotch and sculled it, then poured a second one and downed half of it. He looked at Brennan, "want one?" he asked as he topped up his glass. She looked at the clock then back at Booth "It's 1.00 in the afternoon Booth" He sculled the contents of the glass and glared at her "And your point being?". She sighed and left him in the living room. "I'm tired, I think I'm going to go lie down for a bit" she said as she exited the room.

"Yeah, I'm tired too. Sick and tired of asswipes that think they can pull the wool over my eyes and feed me pigshit for dinner!" Booth poured a third glass and sat on the sofa. He grabbed the remote and flicked on the television. A rerun of Interview With A Vampire flashed onto the screen. "GOD DAMMIT!" he shouted and pitched the remote at the television. There was the shattering of glass as it hit the centre of the screen. "SHIT!" he yelled as he slumped back and closed his eyes.  
"Shit."

* * *

"I think that went well don't you?" Cordelia brightly asked Angel as she busied herself warming a mug of blood for him in the microwave and made a sandwich for herself for lunch. Angel simply smiled at her. " As well as I expected. Now. Now we just wait".


	18. Chapter 18

Three days. Three days had passed without a word about Angel and his story being spoken. Brennan had worked out a long time ago that Booth would only speak when he was ready. And right now. He was not ready. Not by a long shot. So she had kept her mouth shut. Her mind however was reeling.

She had not slept a full night since that day. Angel's revelation had completely knocked her understanding of her world for a loop. She was now questioning everything around her. She had a secret stash of books about the occult and the underworld hidden in her office. She had classic novels about Vampires and DVD's about Dracula shoved into the bottom of her wardrobe. There were so many differing opinions about the existence/non-existence of these creatures. It confused her, troubled her, intrigued her.

She was sure that if Booth knew she was reading any of this he would be furious. He had been skulking around, not speaking. He had cancelled his weekend with Parker, something that he never did. He had told Rebecca that he was sick and didn't want to pass it along to his son. And that had then made him angrier. He never lied to Parker, never. And now, because of Angel, he was doing that too.

The black mood was eating away at him. He had been going to church almost every day. Perhaps believing that his prayers for guidance would somehow wipe this information from him or give him some revelation of truth. But of course that wasn't going to happen. Brennan sighed. Booth was just going to have to work this out in his own way, just like she was. And when he was ready to talk. She was going to have some questions and perhaps, some answers.

* * *

Booth walked into Brennan's office and closed the door behind him. He sat on the couch, elbows on his knees, his head bowed and held in his hands. He looked positively broken. She felt a lump form in her throat and swallowed it down. "Bones, can we talk?" he spoke quietly. She closed the file she was looking at, stood up and walked around her desk. She sat next to him and he wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her chest. "Bones, I'm so tired." His shoulders began jerking up and down. Brennan realised that he was crying. She wrapped her arms tightly around him and pulled him closer to her, rocking him gently. It was a motherly instinct, one that was not completely natural to her, but she knew that it was the right thing.

Brennan had not seen Booth like this very often. He was a sensitive man, but a private one. He didn't shy away from his emotions, but did not flaunt them publicly. She dropped her lips to his hair, then lay her cheek against its softness. Neither of them were aware of time. They simply clung to each other until the wave of emotion rocking Booth passed. He eventually sat up and wiped his face on his sleeve. "Sorry Bones. Thanks." he managed a weak smile. Brennan reached up and stroked his cheek. "You don't ever have to apologise to me Booth. You had a physiological response to stress and your body simply couldn't hold out any more. It's natural that it would express itself eventually." Booth looked at her and smiled his crooked smile that she loved. She smiled back, and decided that her reply had been too clinical. "What I mean is. It's OK. I'm glad you came to me and that I was here for you when you needed me."

Booth pulled her close and kissed her hard. "I'm sorry I've been such a pain in the ass lately. I've been doing a lot of thinking. And a lot of praying." Brennan nodded "I know" she responded. He clasped his hands in his lap and leaned back in his seat. "But no matter how hard I try, I cannot forget it. The things he told us. I keep thinking about it, and thinking about it, and it won't go away." he looked at her "I have a confession Bones. I've been reading a lot about, about that, stuff. I think it might be kind of real." He lifted his hands from his lap and ran them through his hair. "I know that sounds crazy." he said.

Brennan stifled a giggle. Booth glanced at her sharply "Are you laughing at me Bones?" he asked, a little hurt. She shook her head "No. NO! I have a confession too!" She stood up and went over to her desk and opened the bottom drawer. She pulled out some books and documents and took them over to the couch and dropped them on the coffee table. Booth couldn't believe his eyes. "You believe it too?" he asked. She shrugged "I'm not exactly sure that I believe it, yet. I have a lot of questions, and I would need some sort of physical proof." she said. Booths eyes narrowed "What do you mean, physical proof?" he asked warily. She could not meet his gaze. She stood up and walked across to her desk, turned around and leaned against it.

"I want to go see Angel, Booth" She raised both her hands as if to protect herself from an onslaught "And don't start yelling at me until you hear me out" knowing exactly that this was what Booth was about to do. She continued "I want to ask him if I can do some" she hesitated "tests" She finished. Booth stood up, his hand on his forehead "Tests? Are you hearing what you just said? You want to go there and say 'Hey Angel, I'm not really sure if what you told me is true, so can I jab you with a few needles and take some skin samples and some nail and hair clippings and perhaps hook you up to some of my scientific machines and do some tests on you?" Booth was staring at her shaking his head. "You actually want to do that?" he finished.

Brennan was staring seriously at him "Yes. Yes Booth. That is precisely what I want to do, although my terminology would be somewhat more correct." She smiled at him. "You have to understand Booth, I need to know. In here" she pointed to her head, then added "_and_ in here" pointing to her chest. " And my way of knowing is to use science. I'm sure Angel will understand that. And if he says no, then I guess I'll just have to accept that. But I think he will agree. Booth, he wants us to believe him. He wants us to know. And he wants to know why you two are co-existing and how you are connected. There's something going on Booth, something strange and different to everything I understand. This is not just a coincidence. This has happened for a reason. Angel wants to know why. I want to know why." Brennan had taken a few steps towards Booth, her hands outstretched, palms upturned. "Don't you?" Her face was strained, her eyes pleading.

Booth sighed. He stood up and walked around the coffee table and grabbed her hands, looking hard into her blue eyes.

Booth took a deep breath. "Yes. I think I want to know." He realised that this was the truth he had been trying to deny. He needed to know, Bones needed to know, and Angel needed to know. And together was probably the only way they were going to work it out.

"Come on. Let's go home and ring them. We need to try to find out what the hell is going on." He gave her a hard hug. Brennan wrapped her arms around his body and squeezed as hard as she could. "Thanks Booth." He squeezed her back "Don't thank me too soon Bones. We may not like what we find out."


	19. Chapter 19

The sun had set, the last glimpse of it was fading quickly, dull gold and red bleeding across the edge of the horizon, then it was gone. Angel was standing at the window, curtains and blinds opened wide. It was the only part of the day he ever saw. It's death. He turned from the window. _How ironic, _ he chuckled to himself.

For almost a week he and Cordy had gone about their business without hearing from Booth or Temperance. Cordy was worried that they would not see them again. But Angel had assured her that she was just being impatient. He explained that while she had grown up knowing about, and simply accepting that demons, vampires and other creatures of the night existed, most people had not. It had been a massive shock to both Brennan and Booth, he knew that. He saw it on their faces before they left. Booths' words may have been shouted in anger, but his face reflected pure fear.

Angel knew that it would be weeks, perhaps months before they would meet again. But he was confident that fate would continue to pull them together and that they would meet again one day. He could not worry about when. Time simply did not matter to him. And so he carried on as usual, going out into the night, delving into the seedy parts of town and cleaning up, so to speak. He also spent a good deal of time poring over the documents that supposedly explained Booth and Angel's co-existence.

Cordelia had a part time job working at a local bar a couple of nights a week which helped keep them 'visible'. Their neighbours simply accepted that this couple worked nights, and that this was why they were rarely seen during daylight hours. They had not registered that it was only Cordy that they ever saw. The rest of her time was taken up keeping a log of jobs that Angel completed for his clients, which since moving to Washington, was not many.

Angel was once again sitting at his desk, papers were strewn everywhere, some were Wesley's notes, others were Angels own, disjointed points, questions, random thoughts. He had never wished so hard for Wesley to be here right now. Although Wes had not managed to completely solve the puzzle of the Shanshu, he would have been more adept at making sense of it than Angel was. Angel rubbed his eyes and rested his head in his hands, his fingers curling into his hair, massaging his scalp. He sat like that for a long while, trying to quieten the noise in his head. It was all getting too much for him.

Cordy entered the room and stood looking at Angel. She felt her heart tighten in her chest. She loved him so much and it hurt her that he was so beaten down by this. It had been years since she had seen him worrying so much. She knew that this whole Shanshu thing was important to him, especially since he realised that he is not actually going to be returned to human form. Angel was pretty sure that it has something to do with Booth, that perhaps he was born in place of Angel being reborn. She shook her head. It was just so confusing. It made her head hurt.

She walked over to Angel and propped herself on the arm of his chair and leant her head on his. "How's it going baby?" she asked him. Angel gave a small chuckle "Well, I need another notebook, and I've broken three pencils. Oh, and I still have no idea what this prophecy is really trying to say to me. So, I guess it's going as well as it can!" He pushed back away from the table and pulled Cordy onto his lap. "How was your day?" he asked, smiling at her. "Oh you know, paid some bills, sent out a few invoices, did the banking, made you your favourite dinner." she smiled back at him. "Hungry?" she added. He grinned, that meant she had tried to invent some sort of flavoured blood drink, or, and he hoped she had not done it again, she'd tried to make blood sausage for him, something that had been a total disaster last time she tried it. He closed his eyes and prayed that this was not what was waiting in the kitchen for him. "No. But I'll come and sit with you while you eat" he replied. He lifted her off his lap and set her feet on the floor and stood up, dropping a kiss on her forehead and they headed out of the office and up the stairs to their apartment.

Cordelia was tucking into a steak and salad, chatting about her day. Angel sat opposite her, a mug of warm blood in front of him. Thankfully there had not been any sign of blood sausage anywhere. She had decided to add basil to his blood today. He gazed down into the mug and swirled the little green bits around. It was not completely terrible. He would have preferred just a mug of good old O positive natural, but would never say it to her. It made her happy trying new things, and that made him happy. Angel was completely devoted to Cordy. He knew that he was lucky to have been given a second chance at real happiness with this plucky, funny, beautiful, sexy woman. She was everything he had ever wanted, and he thanked the powers that be every day for allowing her to be in his life.

Her bare feet were tucked into his lap, as they always were when they sat at the table, her toes wriggling as she chatted. He dropped a hand under the table and massaged her foot as she talked. "Ooh, that's good Angel, keep doing that" She closed her eyes and tilted her head to the side. Her hair falling across her face and cascading down over her shoulder. He smiled. He knew exactly what she liked. She sighed and licked her lips. Her foot started moving against him and she was smiling. He knew exactly where this was going.

Just then the phone rang. "Ah ha! saved by the bell" Angel jumped up from the table leaving her sitting with a frown, her bare feet outstretched under the table. "Angel! Don't answer it, please?" she was giving him that puppy dog face. He knew what she wanted, but he had already picked up the receiver. "Hello. This is Angel" A voice spoke on the other end and Angel turned around to face Cordy, his eyes wide, his mouth open slightly. "Yes, Yes of course. I am agreeable to that, although I don't know how successful it will be. Nobody has ever really tried to do that before. OK. Yes We'll be there. And Temperance? Tell Booth I said thank you." His hand dropped to his side still holding the receiver.

"What?" asked Cordy as she jumped up from her chair.

"Looks like we are going to be seeing Agent Booth and Dr Brennan again after all.


	20. Chapter 20

It was 9.30pm. Booth stood next to Brennan at the bottom of the stairs at The Jeffersonian. His hands were shoved down deep into the pockets of his grey overcoat. He was kicking at a loose piece of concrete on the edge of one of the steps. "Stop it Booth, you will ruin your shoe!" Brennan grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the step.

"It's my shoe! I can ruin it if I want!" he responded. Brennan took a step back and gave him an incredulous look. "Booth, I know you are nervous, but you are acting like a child. Can we please just stand still and wait?" she asked him. "Hrummph" was his reply. Booth was not above sulking. He folded his arms across his chest and glared at her. "Come here you" she smiled and reached out and wrapped her arms around him. He kept his arms folded for a moment then weakened and let them drop and wound them around her waist. "Sorry" he mumbled. "I just wish they'd hurry up and get here." Booth was uncomfortable and nervous and he did not like feeling that way.

Angel and Cordelia pulled up in their car and got out. They stood on the sidewalk and looked up at the building in front of them. "Wow!" Angel commented. "This place is huge!" He grabbed Cordys hand and started towards the steps where Brennan and Booth were waiting. "I know, it's amazing inside too!" Cordy replied skipping alongside of Angel.

"They're here!" Brennan disengaged herself from Booths arms and turned to face Angel and Cordy as they stepped up to them. "Hello!" she greeted them. Cordy ran towards Brennan and gave her a warm hug. "Temperance! I'm so happy you called!" She turned to Booth, who tried to take a step backwards but his heel caught on the step behind him and he landed heavily on his rump. Cordy did not miss a beat, she simply bent down and hugged him anyway "Good to see you again Booth. Let me help you up" She held out her hands and helped him stand.

Angel stood back and tried hard to cover the smirk on his face with his hand. Booth was acutely conscious that he was being laughed at and glared at Angel, willing his face not to glow red, and failing. Cordy, oblivious to it all simply smiled and declared "This is going to be fun!" Brennan grinned and took Cordys hand and led her up the steps to the doors. Booth and Angel stared at each other for a moment, then turned and followed the girls up to the main entrance. Hands pushed deep into coat pockets, long matching strides, both muttering to themselves.

Brennan had full access to all areas of the building, so it was easy for them to simply enter and slip into the elevator on the ground floor and go up to her office. She had prepared everything that she thought she would need earlier that day so they would not have to move around the building. The four of them stood silent in the elevator as it travelled upwards.

Brennan popped her head out to make sure that there were no guards on the floor, then signalled to them to follow her to her office. Booth sped up slightly so that he was walking next to Brennan, rather than behind with Angel. "You realise this is weird, don't you?" he whispered to her. She turned her head to him, her eyes sparkling, and said "It's not weird, it's exciting!" and unlocked her office flicked on the lights and ushered them all in. She closed the door behind them and locked it. She made sure all the blinds were closed.

"Wow! It looks different to last time I was here." Cordelia was walking around looking at everything in the room. "This is amazing!" She plonked herself down on the couch and smiled at everyone. Angel stood near the door, his arms folded across his chest, his eyes flicking around the room. Booth, stood behind Brennans' desk, his arms folded across his chest, staring at his feet. Brennan started to giggle, Cordy joined in. "What are you laughing at?" Both men asked the same question at the same time. They looked at each other and realised they were standing exactly the same way.

Embarrassed they dropped their arms. Angel shoving his hands into his pockets. Booth started to do the same, but then saw that Angel was doing it, so he pretended that he was just adjusting his trousers. He leaned one hand on the desk and rested the other on his hip, hoping he looked nonchalant. Both girls looked at each other and burst out laughing again. Temperance offered Cordelia a drink, but told Booth and Angel that they would have to wait until after her tests.

It was plainly obvious that Booth and Angel were indeed, for all intents and purposes clones of each other. Brennan was intrigued and had in mind to do some simple tests. She explained that she was going to do a blood test. A DNA test. A urine sample. Angel interrupted her. "I don't actually use the toilet Temperance. I don't eat or drink. The blood that I ingest is absorbed into my body. And if I have a coffee, the water is absorbed into my system rather than expelled. Sorry." Brennan looked surprised "Oh, don't be sorry. That's so interesting! I'll take saliva samples instead" She jotted some notes on her notepad.

Brennan took blood samples from both men. Angels blood was much thicker than Booths, somewhat gelatinous. It took several attempts to get the sample. "Fascinating." she murmured as she made more notes. Angel agreed to her taking hair samples for DNA. "I'll be interested to know what that tells you." Angel said. Brennan smiled at him "Well I'll be comparing it to Booths sample, looking for identical genetic markers. I will be able to see if you and Booth are genetically identical or not." She then took some giant cotton buds and swabbed the insides of both men's' mouths and transferred them to glass slides.

Brennan made a quick phone call to security to tell them that she was working and that she had some visitors in her office and that they were not to be disturbed. "Booth, get everyone a drink. And there are sandwiches in the fridge if anyone is hungry. Angel, ummm I wasn't able to. I mean. I didn't get." Brennan fidgeted uncomfortably. Angel smiled and held up a hand "It's OK, I don't need anything to eat. But a cup of coffee?" he asked. Booth said "It's OK Bones, I'll make coffee. You go do your sciency thing."

He walked over to the bench in the corner of the office and set up the coffee machine. He opened the fridge and pulled out the tray of sandwiches Bones had ordered in for them. "Cordy?" He held out the tray to her. She grinned and took one of the sandwiches. "Is there any soda?" she asked. Booth bent down and looked in the fridge and pulled out a couple of cans, passing one to her. "Thanks!" she grinned at him as she bit into her egg salad.

Booth sat on a chair opposite the couch and began eating a ham sandwich. He looked at Angel and swallowed "So you really don't eat?" he asked. It was the first time Booth had asked Angel anything remotely personal. Angel smiled "Well I _can_ eat. But I don't need to eat solid food. I subsist mainly through blood. Pigs blood usually. I have also been lucky enough to have a contact at a blood bank. When stocks start to get a little old for transfusion, I purchase them." He glanced at Booth who had gone a strange gray colour. "Ah. I see that this is not an appropriate subject whilst you are eating. But you did ask."

Booth stared at him for a moment, then took another bite of his sandwich, determined not to let the whole blood drinking thing put him off his food and make him look wussy. "I'm fine" Booth said with a mouth full of bread and ham. Angel smirked and gestured to Booth with one long index finger "You've got a little. Something. You know" he waggled his finger again "on your lip" he finished. Booth quickly wiped his mouth on his sleeve, glaring at Angel "What? Are you my mom?" he mumbled. Angel looked over at what Temperance was doing and sniggered "No. Thank goodness." he mumbled back.

Cordy decided to chime in at that moment "Oh, the blood is not that bad. I try to make it more interesting for Angel by flavouring it. I've used cinnamon, basil, nutmeg" she looked at Angel "What else have I used?" she asked him. He looked at Booth and rolled his eyes "Oh sweetie, you have tried all sorts of things to change the flavour." he said "_unfortunately_" he muttered under his breath. Booth heard it, tried not to laugh and only succeeded in spitting out a good portion of his masticated food. He then tried to cover it up by feigning a cough. "Sorry. Went down the wrong way" he added lamely. He and Angel actually exchanged a grin. _An identical one._

About an hour and a half had passed. Booth, Angel and Cordy had managed to chat for most of it about mundane things. Brennan opened the door and came in. She looked strange.

"Well" she said. "I've got the preliminary results. Of course I want to do some more in depth testing, but this is enough to tell us what we want to know" She looked at Booth and Angel, again, her breath was taken away at their identical faces. Two sets of chocolate brown eyes stared up at her, two foreheads creased in exactly the same way, two mouths with soft lips twitched at the identical moment "What did you find?" they both asked. Angel and Booth turned and frowned at each other "Can you stop doing that" Angel said. "Me? You need to stop" Booth retorted. Brennan took a step towards them. "Can you both stop for a minute? The DNA and blood tests have come back almost identical." Angel said "Almost?" Booth asked "What was different?"

Brennan looked at her notes. "Well, the basic genetic markers are exactly the same. Except that the results from Angel show that the samples have come from a deceased person. Angel and Booth frowned and looked at her. Booth spoke up "Bones. What does it mean?"

Brennan pulled up a chair and sat down. She looked exasperated "Basically it says that you and Angel are the same person! I know in my head that this is impossible, but the results are telling me that one set is from a living man, that's you Booth. And the others are from a deceased man, that's you Angel. But you are, for all intents and purposes, the same man!" Brennan promptly fainted and fell off the chair. Booth and Angel both jumped up and tried to stop her hitting the floor, rather unsuccessfully as they basically got in each others way.

Booth pushed Angel back. "Hey! She's my girlfriend. I'll get her. It's OK." he said as he lifted her up. Cordelia had moved off the couch and put a cushion up one end for a pillow. Booth laid Brennan down and gently patted her cheek. "Baby. Honey. Bones. Can you hear me?" Angel said "You realise that rarely works. She will simply come round when the blood flow is restored to her brain" Booth swivelled his head round to look at Angel "Oh, being the blood expert and all" He turned back to Brennan and kissed her cheek "Wake up Bones". Cordelia came over with a glass of water and put it on the coffee table. She stood next to Angel, wrapping her arms around his body. "She's fine Cordy, she just got a bit of a shock, that's all." he reassured her, giving her a hug.

Brennans' eyelids fluttered and she opened her eyes. Booths dark eyes were above hers, worried. "Did I faint?" she asked. Booth nodded "Yes, but you were only out for a bit. Just until the blood flowed back into your head". Angel rolled his eyes and shook his head, smirking. Booth helped her sit up gently. "Do you want a drink of water?" he asked. She shook her head. "No. I feel silly" she looked up at Cordy and Angel "Sorry" she said. Cordy replied "Don't be. It's natural when you get a shock like that Temperance. I must admit. I'm having trouble understanding it myself."

Angel came and sat on the coffee table. He looked at Booth and then at Brennan. "So. What do you think it means?"

Booth had his arm around Brennans' shoulders. She leaned into him and looked up into Angels face. "Honestly? I just don't know Angel."

"I don't know." she whispered again.


	21. Chapter 21

Angel and Cordy arrived home about an hour before dawn. They let themselves into their apartment and Cordelia made sure all the drapes were drawn tightly. Angel collapsed into his comfy old leather chair and closed his eyes. "Tired Angel?" Cordy asked. He opened one eye and smiled "No, just thinking. It's been a big night." He held his arms open to her and she slipped onto his lap, curling up like a cat, snuggling into his body. He wrapped his arms around her drawing her tightly against him. Her warmth seeped through his shirt and comforted him. He closed his eyes again and sighed. "I love you Cordelia Chase" he murmured into her hair. She smiled into his chest "I know. I love you too" she answered.

Angel slipped his hands under her body and stood up lifting her easily. "Time for bed my lovely girl" and he carried her off to their room.

* * *

Booth helped Brennan from the car and walked her up the path to their building. He opened the door to their apartment. "I could use a coffee, what about you Bones?" Booth asked. Brennan walked over to the sofa and flopped down onto it, yawning. Pulling the old afghan from the end of the couch over herself. "mmm, please" she replied. She grabbed the remote and turned on the new television. "This TV is bigger than the old one isn't it?" she called out to Booth. He turned and looked at the picture on the screen. He felt his face burning, remembering his temper tantrum from earlier where he threw the remote through the screen. "Yes, I figured since I killed your old TV, the least I could do was buy a decent sized one to replace it" Brennan laid her head down. "How convenient seeing as hockey season is starting soon" she said, smiling.

Booth carried two mugs of coffee over to the couch and placed them on the table. Brennan lifted her legs up and Booth sat down. She rested her legs over his lap. He slipped her shoes off and started massaging her feet. "Crawler" she smiled at him, referring to the new television. He grinned and tickled the bottom of her foot. She twitched and laughed "Don't!" He resumed massaging her feet, something he knew she adored. Brennan grabbed the mug of coffee and took a sip "Gosh I needed that".

She looked at Booth, "Well. What did you think of tonight?" she asked, referring to the DNA revelations. "Honestly Bones? I'm kind of freaked out. Part of me doesn't want to think about it, part of me wants to deny it completely, part of me is scared." he paused "and part of me is excited." He looked at her. She was watching his face as he spoke. "That's sort of how I feel too" she replied. "But also there's that part of me that is intrigued on a completely scientific level. Everything I know about genetics and DNA tells me that this is completely impossible. Yet, the results were right there in my hand, telling me that it was possible."

She rubbed her eyes. "I'm so tired Booth" she looked at him with her impossibly blue eyes glistening as if she was about to cry. "Aww Bones baby, come here." She scooted on to his lap and lay her head against his chest. "Booth. I want to understand it all. I do! I want to know why and how. But I can't. It's like my brain is programmed one way, and all this, this other world stuff just doesn't compute. My heart wants to believe in what Angel is telling us, but my brain, it's fighting against it. I just don't know what it means." Booth stared at the television, some documentary on the human body was on _"Ha! You guys seriously have no idea"_ he thought to himself as he stared at it.

He dropped his head and rested his chin on her hair. "I know Bones. I wish I could help you, but I am having my own kind of mental crisis over it all too. I wonder if Sweets was able to find out anything?" he suddenly wondered. "Or maybe I should just leave him out of it now. Just not talk to him about it anymore. He probably thinks I'm wacko enough now anyway." Booth sighed and rubbed his cheek against her soft curls. "Wanna go to bed? I don't know about you, but I am completely shattered. I really, really just need to lay down and close my eyes for a bit." But there was no answer. Brennan had fallen asleep, curled up on his lap. He sighed and lay his head against the back of the sofa. He pulled the old afghan around them both and closed his eyes and let himself drift off.

Booths mind was full of strange dreams. He and Angel were in a tunnel somewhere. It was dark and cold and damp. Angel was leading him deeper and deeper into the inky blackness. They could hear Brennans voice calling out to them. But they couldn't find her. Then, they were in a room. There was a baby crying somewhere, but no matter how hard they looked, they couldn't find where it was. There were strange voices echoing around them. Swirling like a mist. But try as he might, no matter which way he turned, the voices were always behind him. Then, they were back in the tunnel, Brennan was with them, holding a baby. Asking them to help guide them. But guide them where? The voices came back, telling him that greatness awaited. Brennan was holding her hand out to him, begging him to stay with her. Then Angel and Brennan disappeared into the blackness of the tunnel and he was alone with the voices. The baby was laying on the ground crying.

Booths head jerked off the couch. He was bathed in perspiration. His mouth dry and his neck was sore, probably from laying back like he was. Brennan had slipped down and was half on his lap and half on the couch. His legs were numb and he had the urge to be sick. He slid out from under her, making sure he didn't wake her and ran to the bathroom. He vomited and then stood at the sink staring at his reflection in the mirror. He washed his face and rinsed his mouth and walked back into the living room. He stood staring at Brennan for a moment. He bent down and scooped her up off the couch and carried her to bed. He slid in beside her and pulled the covers over them both. He lay awake for what seemed like hours, almost afraid to close his eyes, but eventually he drifted off again. This time no dreams came. He simply slept.

Booth opened his eyes and for a moment, was not sure where he was. He remembered that he had had some weird dream, and that he had been sick through the night. He decided that it must have been the sandwich. Perhaps the ham was not quite right. He shook off the odd feeling and sat up. Brennan was already up. He looked at the clock. 12.07pm. He'd had about 6 hours sleep but still felt weary. He lay his hand on her pillow, letting his fingers trace the faint outline of the indent her head had made. He felt a pull in his chest. He slipped his hand under her pillow and pulled out a pale orange nightgown. He held it to his face and inhaled her scent. He closed his eyes. He loved her so much everything paled. He opened his eyes and stood up, dropping her nightgown onto the bed he walked out into the living room.

Brennan was making breakfast, or perhaps it was lunch in the kitchen. She turned and smiled at him. Her eyes were sparkling like the ocean, her hair was shining and she had let her natural curl fall loosely around her face. She had on a blue t-shirt and jeans. Her feet were bare. He took in every single detail of her. He loved her.

Booth stood in the middle of the living room and spoke, softly at first. "I love you Bones" She lifted her head and looked over at him, smiling into his eyes "What?" she asked. He took a step towards her and said, louder "I love you". She beamed at him, "I love you too Booth" and turned back to the bacon and eggs she was cooking. "Marry me?" he said, walking towards her. She turned and stared at him, unsure of what she had just heard. He smiled, grabbing her hand and nodding at her. "Marry me Bones." he said again. Brennan dropped the egg slide she had been using to cook the eggs. Her eyes widened. "What?" she exclaimed. "I just asked you to marry me." he repeated smiling wider now.

Brennan, frowned at him "I'm in the middle of scrambling eggs, I'm covered in bacon grease, you are still in your clothes from yesterday and your hair is messy and you need a shave, and. And, yes. Yes, I'll marry you!" she flung her arms around his neck and covered his mouth with hers. "What brought this on?" she finally asked. Booth shook his head, "I don't really know. I had a really weird dream last night, and when I woke up I just knew it was what I wanted. Bones, I want us to be one of those couples who in 30 or 40 years from now, when someone asks us how did you know you wanted to get married, we will just look at each other and say, we just knew" He kissed her hard. "You are sure? No doubts?" he asked. She shook her head, her hair flipping around her face, her smile as wide and as bright as he had ever seen. "None". she said.

Booth smiled to himself. He felt the most relaxed and calm he had in weeks. The whole business with Angel had turned his world upside down. It had made him question himself, his world. But it had also opened his eyes to things. Strange and marvellous things. It had also had made him realise that his future was with Bones. No doubt. This was right. This was the surest thing he had ever done.

The smartest thing.


	22. Chapter 22

Booth and Brennan had barely finished their brunch when she looked up at him, her eyes huge and her mouth puckered. She covered her hand with her mouth and ran to the bathroom. He could hear her retching. He knocked on the door and asked if he could do anything. "No" _retch "_I'm fine" _retch _ "I'll be out in a minute" _ retch_. Booth sat down at the kitchen table and waited. It wasn't like Brennan to be sick. She hardly ever even got a headache. He decided it was probably all the excitement of the engagement. _"Speaking of which,_ he thought, _we need to go pick out a ring today"_. He rubbed his hands together. It was going to be a good day.

Brennan emerged from the bathroom, her eyes watery and her face blotchy. She looked embarrassed. "You OK Bones?" Booth asked. She nodded "Yes, I am. I think I just ate too much and the excitement of the last day and all. It was just too much I think. I'm fine. I feel fine now." She smiled a weak smile and pushed the hair out of her face. "God, I must look a sight!" Booth laughed and raised both hands in the air "I'm not saying anything. How about you go have a shower and then we go out shopping?" he asked. "Shopping?" Brennan asked. "Shopping for what?"

Booth grinned and grabbed her face between his hands, kissing her on the forehead "For a ring silly. Your engagement ring! When we tell everyone I want the most beautiful ring on your finger!" Brennan smiled. "Oh" she looked at her hands "You don't want to just wait a bit, until after we sort out, things?" she asked. Booth looked crushed "You don't want to tell anyone? Why not? If it's about Angel, don't even think about that. I know this is the right thing to do. Don't ask me how. I just know it. In my heart and in my head. It's like everything became clear. Like that dream was a message to me. I want everyone to know Bones. Everyone. OK?"

He turned around and walked over and opened the bathroom door. "Please? Have a shower. You'll feel better and then we can go." He nodded at her indicating with his hand for her to enter the bathroom. "OK. OK Booth." She walked past him and squeaked as he gave her bottom a sharp smack. She closed the door and stood for a moment. She had not seen Booth like this for a long time. He was driven, so excited. Booth was usually more guarded and calm. She shook her head and got undressed, turned on the taps and climbed under the hot water.

* * *

The sun had almost set. Angel stood at the window watching its demise as he did every day. Cordelia stood beside him, leaning against him. He looked down at her "Something big happened today. I think the next time we see Booth and Brennan, they are going to have something to tell us." he said. Cordy looked up at him, puzzled. "How do you know that? Did you get a phone call?" Angel shook his head "No. It's just that. The more I see Booth, the more contact I have with him. The stronger my connection with him seems to get. Like it's opened up a direct line between us. I can't tell you exactly what he's thinking or doing. But I know when things are going on that are important. I can't explain it any better than that. I just, know."

He stood staring out into the deepening darkness. Cordy said "I wonder if that is in the notes Wesley made?" Angel shrugged "I don't know. I can't understand them. I don't even want to look at them any more." he hesitated then turned and grabbed her by the arms "Cordy, I have to go away for a few days. I'm going back to Los Angeles. I have to see them. I'm going to ask them straight out." His face was stricken. Angel had promised himself and Cordelia that he would never go back there, let alone contact the Powers That Be. After he got Cordy back, he had decided that he owed them no more, they had payed their end of the bargain and he was done. But now, he had to. Enough was enough. He wanted to know once and for all, and they were the only ones that would be able to tell him.

_And tell him they would. _

_He would not leave until they did. _


	23. Chapter 23

Cordy watched Angel packing his bag. He meticulously folded each item neatly. It was one of his "things". Angel liked things neat and orderly, and he took pride in his clothes. He may not have been able to see himself in the mirror, but he liked to know that he looked good. A tiny smile crossed her face as he folded a pair of black trousers, making sure that the creases lined up before he placed them in the bag. A small toiletries bag sat next to it. She handed him his hair gel, brush, toothbrush and paste, from the bathroom. He smiled at her as he took them from her and put them in the bag.

"It's going to be alright Cordy" he said. Her face was an open book right now. She was worried about him going back to Los Angeles. She knew it might be dangerous for him. Wolfram & Hart, he'd heard that had placed a price on his head and there would be any number of groups who would be after him if they caught wind he had returned. Plus he was not exactly in the good books with the PTB since he told them that he would never work for them again. She wondered if they would even speak to him. He walked over to her and wrapped his arms tightly around her, giving her what he hoped was reassurance that he would be fine. "I don't want you to go, you know" she said softly. He kissed the top of her head "I know, but I have to go, you know that" he said into her hair.

He dropped his arms and walked back over to the bed and zipped up his bag, picking it up. "The sooner I go, the sooner I will be back. It will be fine. I promise you. I would not go and leave you here alone if I thought there was any chance I was in danger." He gave her one last hug, and a long lingering kiss, then he walked out of the door willing himself not to look back at her. He knew if he did, he might change his mind and never go. She stood alone in the bedroom staring at the door, her eyes brimming with tears which she refused to allow to fall. _He'll be fine. He promised me_. She repeated to herself.

* * *

Brennans' office was buzzing with well wishers. Booth sat on the edge of Brennans' desk smiling widely. Brennan was sitting on the couch surrounded by Angela, Hodgins, Cam and Sweets. Everyone was extremely happy for them, if perhaps a little surprised. They had thought that, knowing Booths history, he was a little gun-shy about proposing. Except for Sweets who knew how much he longed for the stability and closeness of marriage. It had always just been a matter of time until Booth was ready.

He was sitting watching Booths face. He had not seen him so happy for a long, long time. It made him quite emotional seeing his friend like this. Sweets and Booth had an interesting relationship, somewhat akin to a father and son, or perhaps more appropriately, brothers. He smiled. Part of him felt as though he had helped bring these two together. All their therapy sessions, however useless Booth had deemed them, he believed had helped these two sort out their feelings for one another. Everything happens eventually.

Booth motioned to Sweets to come over to speak to him. They walked out of Brennans' office and took a stroll down the corridor. "Congratulations again Booth" Sweets said. "Yeah, thanks" Booth replied "But that's not what I want to talk to you about. You remember that _thing_ I asked you about the other week?" he winked at Sweets. "Ahh, the _thing_ about genetics?" Sweets winked back at him. Booth grabbed him by the arm and pulled him further away from Brennans' office. "Right. Look, about that. Don't worry about it, OK? I think I've worked it out and you needn't do anything about it anymore. I think I was just seeing something that wasn't really there. I let my imagination run away with me." Booth said.

Sweets looked at him with a mixture of relief and concern on his face. "To be honest Booth, I couldn't really find anything out anyway. Plus, I was a bit worried about you even asking about that. It just seemed a little, Odd?" he said. He would ask Booth about it another time. He didn't want to spoil the excitement of the day. Booth looked relieved that Sweets seemed happy to just let it go. "It's all good Sweets, don't even think about it anymore. So, I have a question for you." Booth changed the subject "I was wondering, I know Bones and I haven't exactly set the date, but. Well, I was wondering if you would be my best man?"

Sweets looked shocked, but more than a bit pleased "Really? What about Jared? Don't you want your brother as your best man?" he asked Booth. "It's kind of hard to pin him down to be honest Sweets, even getting him there might not be that easy, and you know, you kind of have a lot to do with me and Bones finally getting together. I would really like it, and I know she would to, if you would stand up for me, for us." Booth put his hand on Sweets shoulder. It was a rare thing for Booth to be physically close. Sweets felt a lump in his throat and his eyes stung a little "I'd be honoured Booth, I really would. Yes, of course I'll be your best man!" Booth smacked Sweets on the back with a little more force than Sweets was expecting. "Good! Great! Let's get back to the others". He headed off back to the office. Sweets hung back for just a second watching him. "Come on Sweets!" Booth called back to him. Sweets shook his head and grimaced, still feeling the thump on his back. Personally he thought a manly guy hug would have been more appropriate, however she shrugged it off, and followed the groom-to-be back to Brennans office.

After all the excitement had died down and their colleagues had left, Booth and Brennan were alone in the office. Brennan was sitting on the couch looking at the ring on her hand. It was beautiful. A 2 carat square cut diamond set low on a platinum band. It was not over the top and fussy. It was perfect. Booth had set his heart on her having it the moment he saw it. It was chosen out of love, he knew the minute he saw it on her finger that it was absolutely the right ring to say I love you. She had hesitated only slightly at first. She worried it was too big, too expensive, but he had insisted. She was glad. She had loved it the minute he pointed it out to her. "Happy?" he asked, coming to sit next to her, picking up her hand and inspecting it. But before she had a chance to answer him, she felt a wave of nausea hit her and she jumped up and ran over to the rubbish bin behind her desk. Booth sat looking at her with a look of shock on his face. "If I wasn't certain that you absolutely loved me, I might worry that you don't like the ring!" he quipped.

Brennan lifted her head and her eyes glared at him across the room "Not funny Booth" I think I have a stomach flu or maybe food poisoning. Ever since we came here with Angel and Cordy I've been sick! Those sandwiches!" She disappeared behind the desk and he could hear her vomiting again. Booth stood up and walked over to her desk. He pulled his handkerchief from his pocket and offered it to her. She stood up, her face pale and drawn. "God I feel awful Booth. I think I need to go home." Booth could see she was serious. "OK, come on. And if you are still sick tomorrow, you are going to see a doctor". Brennan shook her head. She mistrusted most doctors. "I'll be fine, it's just a stomach bug. Another day or so and I'll be fine. Just need fluids and rest." she said, grabbing her bag and coat.

Booth followed her out the office and down the lift. She started to run as she hit the foyer and he found her out in the garden bed. "Fertilizing the garden Bones?" he tried to make light of the situation, but he was more than a little worried. She glared at him and stood up straight. "Funny. Can we go?" she asked. He gave her the car keys and told her to go on to the car. He ran back into the building and came back out carrying a bin that he swiped from inside. She looked mortified as he placed it between her legs in the front seat. "Sorry honey, but I don't want to take any chances in the car" he grinned at her. "I am not going to need that Booth!" she argued. Then promptly vomited into it.

"Right. You don't need it at all." Booth smirked and started the car.


	24. Chapter 24

**_PLEASE NOTE_:** This Chapter contains adult themes and is** rated M. **It is unsuitable for minors.

* * *

_four days_

* * *

Angel had been gone for four long days. Cordelia had spent them laying on the couch wrapped in Angels old red velvet dressing gown holding the phone. She was lonely and scared. They had not been apart for 6 years. She found herself remembering things that she had tried so hard to forget. Things that they had tried to leave behind. She closed her eyes and began to remember.

* * *

They had left Los Angeles in the dark of night. They walked away with practically nothing. All that mattered was getting out of there. Life had become difficult and dangerous for them both. The old days of helping the helpless and trying to make the world a safer place had gone for them. Wolfram & Hart had come after them once they found out that Cordy had been returned to Angel. W&H had been laying low after the final battle. They had been badly wounded, their headquarters razed to the ground, many of their key personnel killed or missing. They had retreated and set about rebuilding from the ground up. Putting themselves back together.

Angel had been a mess. He was badly wounded. He had found his way back to the Hyperion. It had been all but destroyed. Angel had managed to dig his way down through the rubble to a trapdoor. He had no memory of how, but he had struggled, but got it open enough to slip through. He had lain in that basement for weeks. His body bruised, battered, covered in open wounds. His body normally healed quickly, but the battle had taken its toll on him. He had lost a lot his essence, and with no supplies to supplement himself, the healing process had taken a long, long time. Angel wondered himself if he would ever be back to normal. He survived by catching the occasional rat and feeding on them. It brought back horrific memories for him. Of a time when he was living on the streets, hiding in the shadows of alleyways, avoiding contact with humans, reliving his personal nightmares over and over.

Cordelia had found him six weeks after the fall. She had no immediate memory of how she got there, but she had found her way to the ruins of the hotel and been drawn to the trapdoor. She had sensed him there, lying in the dark. He was like a wounded animal. His immediate reaction was to draw back his lips and snarl. His fangs fully exposed, his eyes glowing yellow and evil, his brow raised and furrowed. She had seen this face before. It didn't frighten her, but his reaction immediately after did.

His lips started to quiver, trembling over the sharp white fangs, stained red with rat blood. His yellow eyes, turning red with tears of blood. They began to fall, leaving red trails down his pale skin. He covered his face with his hands, ashamed of himself. Cordelia had never seen a full vampire cry before. It was terrifying and distressing. She had gone over to him and kneeled before him, pulling his hands from his vampire face. He stared at her through his bloody tears, not believing what he was seeing. His hand reaching up and one finger slid down her cheek. "Cordelia" he choked on her name. "Cordy!" He reached out and pulled her into his arms, holding her tight and saying her name over and over.

She cradled his head against her shoulder while he cried. He cried for everything he'd done, for the time he'd been without her, for the battle he had won, for the pain he had endured, for the joy he felt at seeing her, holding her again. He finally lifted his head. Soft velvety brown eyes looked into hers. His pale, bloodstained, handsome face hovering inches from her own. He took in every inch of her, his hands touching her hair, stroking her face, sliding down her arms, holding her hands. "It's really you? I'm not just dreaming?" he finally asked with a croaky voice. He had had nobody to talk to and had simply remained silent for weeks. "It's me Angel. I'm here. I'm really here." She leaned in and kissed him. He pulled back. "Don't. The blood." ashamed of how she had found him. "I don't care" she said as she kissed him again.

She had told him that she had simply woken up lying in a deserted alley. She had no idea of how she came back. She had some memories and she had knowledge about why she was back. She knew who she was, that she had to find him, and that she knew where to look. She knew that she had been gone for a long time, and that she had told him she loved him before she left. There were brief flashes of her life before, flashes of their past together, Wesley, Gunn, Fred, Connor. She also knew that she was brought back for him. She was, she had been told, Angels reward. Payment for services rendered.

They emerged from the rubble of the hotel and Cordelia took him back to her apartment. At least she hoped it was still her apartment. She didn't know for sure, she just knew she had to go there. The building looked relatively undamaged. They climbed the flight of stairs and stood outside the door. She reached up and felt along the top of the doorframe. The key was there. She pulled it down. It was grey with dust. Clearly nobody had used it. She pushed it into the lock and turned it. "Let's hope nobody has moved in." she joked with Angel. He was standing behind her, holding an old blanket around his body. His clothes were torn and bloody. He was shivering. She heard the lock click and pushed the door open.

The apartment was dark. "Hello? Anyone here?" No answer. "Hello?" She flicked on the light and the apartment was bathed in a dim yellow glow. "Hey! There is still power!" There was dust everywhere, cobwebs floating from the light in the middle of the room. It was empty. Without warning a baseball bat came flying across the room and stopped inches from her face. "Dennis!" she screamed. "It's me! Cordelia!" The baseball bat hovered for a moment then dropped to the floor. She swore she could feel Dennis giving her a ghosty hug. "I'm back Dennis. It's OK." She grabbed Angel by the arm and pulled him into the apartment. Cordy closed the door and locked it behind them.

"I can't believe the power is still on!" she laughed. "I set up a direct debit after you left. I used to come here and stay after you. After. When you were gone. But I haven't been here in a long time. I just paid the utilities." Angel said quietly. "Oh. Angel." was all Cordy could say. She pulled the dirty blanket from him and looked at him properly. "We need to get you in the bath, right now" she said. She pulled him along, guiding him into the bathroom. He stood helplessly in the middle of the room staring at her. He was still very weak and could not quite wrap his head around the fact that she was there, close enough to touch.

She pushed the plug into the drain and turned on the taps, the water spluttered for a moment, then began to spurt into the bath. She added some liquid soap then turned her attention to Angel. She unbuttoned his shirt and stripped it from his shoulders. It stuck to him in a few places and he winced as she pulled it from the old wounds. "Sorry. Sorry Angel" She was horrified at the marks on his body. She looked at him. "Can you manage your pants?" Angel simply stared at her, he didn't have the energy to even try. "No? Well then I guess I'll just have to do it." she finished. She quickly unzipped them and pushed them down, taking his underwear with them. She helped him step out of his shoes and removed his pants. Throughout it all, Angel just stood silently, letting her take charge of him, unembarrassed by his naked state. She turned to the bath and turned off the water. It was quite warm, but Angel wouldn't be bothered by it.

She helped him climb into the tub and sit down, then pulling up the stool that she kept by the sink, she sat and started to gently wash his body with a washcloth. She was very gentle, taking care to remove all the dried blood and loose scabs from his skin. He turned his face to her and simply said "Thankyou" then closed his eyes and lay back in the water. Cordelia felt tears pricking her eyes as she washed his face. Then she shampooed his hair and rinsed it thoroughly. She helped him from the tub and he stood while she dried his body. He looked as though he had lost weight, but she wasn't sure if vampires actually gained or lost weight really. She decided that he had. He had been practically starving when she found him. That then presented a new problem. What to feed him. There was only one choice today.

Cordelia guided Angel to her bedroom and helped him into the bed. It was already made up and although the sheets were not fresh, she knew Angel would think that he was lying in a bed fit for a king after being in that basement. He lay back and a sigh escaped his lips. He looked so weak. Cordelia bit her bottom lip and made her decision. She slipped out of her clothes and climbed into the bed with him. He jumped and tried to get out of the bed. She pushed him back down, which really took no effort as he was that weak. "No! Angel, you need to eat. You need to get some strength back. Here." She presented her shoulder to him. He looked horrified "Cordy! No! What are you doing." shaking his head. She pulled his head to her neck "Yes! Yes Angel. You have to. I haven't gone through all this to get you back here and have you die on me. Drink. Please" she was pleading with him.

He could smell her. He could hear the blood rushing through her veins. He could see it pulsing through her skin. He felt the familiar pull against his gums. He tried to fight, but he was too weak, too hungry. He looked at her, his eyes full of fear "What if I can't stop?" he asked. "You will stop. I trust you Angel. You will stop" He needed nothing more. His fangs slipped from his gums and slid into her soft flesh. The sharp metallic tang of her blood hit the back of his throat, he orgasmed there and then, biting harder and sucking the lifeblood from her.

Cordelia felt herself floating on a wave of pleasure. She had not experienced sensations like this before, and it made her wonder if this is what everyone felt when they were bitten by a vampire. She could feel his mouth pulsing against her skin, feel the blood spurting from her body, his hands were on her breasts, her stomach, between her legs. It was the most sexually arousing thing she had ever had happen to her and she didn't want it to end. But just as she thought that things could not be any better, he pulled his mouth from her. He was panting, his lips stained red from her blood, his fangs retracting, his eyes changing from yellow to that familiar dark brown. His hands however remained on her body, moving slowly now, stroking her skin, slipping across her like silk. He rolled her onto her back and slipped into her, watching her face the whole time. She let her hands explore his back, his neck, sliding down and pulling his hips against hers. She felt him begin to shudder and tense for a moment and then they climaxed together. His eyes never left hers.

Cordelia opened her eyes at the sound of the lock on the door. She sat up and he was there. Angel walked into the room. His clothes were torn and he was missing his bag, but he was smiling and he was there. She jumped up from the couch and flew into his strong arms. He lifted her off the floor and twirled her in the air. "Cordy" he breathed into her mouth as he kissed her.


	25. Chapter 25

"And I told you before Booth, I'm fine. I haven't been sick for 4 days now. Seriously, honey, it was just food poisoning." Booth opened his mouth to speak again, but Brennan raised her hand in his face. "You seriously did not just do that!" Booth exclaimed, looking around the palm of her hand. "Yes, I did. I saw it on one of those documentaries about young people" she replied looking quite smug. Booth smirked and kissed the palm of her upraised hand. "You do learn the most interesting things from those _documentaries_" he said using his fingers to make little quotation signs in the air. He smirked because he had caught her watching an episode of Friends the other night. Then in all seriousness "As long as you are telling me the truth Bones. Don't try and pull one over on me OK?" She looked confused, but said nodded her agreement.

The doorbell rang. "Great!" Booth clapped his hands together. "That will be Parker!" He jumped up and ran to the door. He had not seen Parker for weeks, having cancelled his last visit with him due to the whole Angel thing.

"Dad!" The boy launched himself at Booth as soon as the door opened. "Wow, I swear you have gotten taller!" he exclaimed. Rebecca was standing there holding his bag. "Hi Bec" Booth acknowledged her over his sons head. "Seeley. Here are his things" handing him the backpack. Booth stepped outside pulling the door to. "You still aren't going on about our last visit are you?" he asked. Rebecca sighed "No. I suppose not. But Seeley, you hurt him last time. I just want you to know that you can't just do that to him. He is your son. He's nearly 14 now. OK?" Booth closed his eyes and shook his head "Rebecca. It just couldn't be helped. I was sick! If I'd had him and then sent him home ill, you would have jumped on me for that too. I can't win with you sometimes!" Rebecca shrugged "Sorry" .

Booth shuffled on the spot. "Look Bec, there's something Bones and I want to tell you, and Parker. Can you come in for a minute? Please?" he asked. Rebecca narrowed her eyes and nodded "OK, but I can only stay for a minute. I have a date." She walked past Booth and entered the apartment. Parker was sitting with Brennan showing her one of the cd's he brought with him. Brennan looked up and smiled brightly at Rebecca "Oh Hi! Nice to see you Rebecca. Can I get you a drink or something?" she started to stand but Booth motioned for her to stay seated. "She can't stay long honey." Rebecca visibly flinched at his easy use of the term of endearment. Brennan settled herself back into her seat and looked at Booth expectantly. Booth cleared his throat nervously. He had never been so scared to tell Parker something before. There was no telling what his sons reaction was going to be.

He stood in the middle of the room, sweating. His hands were wringing together. "Umm. Ahhh. Well, Bones and I. Temperance and I would like to tell you. Advise you? Announce." he decided nervously "that we are getting married!" He grinned broadly, hoping that it would be infectious. Nobody spoke for a moment and he thought he'd blown it. He should have told Parker on his own. Not brought Rebecca in to tell her. "DAD! Brennan!" Parkers voice drowned out all doubts ringing in his head. "You mean Brennan is going to be my other mom? That's awesome!" the teenager wrapped his arms around Brennans neck and hugged her tightly. Parker had never made any secret about his love for Brennan. He had adored her from the day he met her. She was a little overwhelmed by his reaction and burst into tears. Booth panicked of course. Looking at Rebecca for some help. He went over to her, squatting down in front of her "Baby, what's wrong? You didn't want me to tell them?" he asked worriedly, holding her hand. "No" Brennan shook her head "I'm just. So. Happy" she managed to say inbetween sobs.

Rebecca looked at Booth quizzically. "Well, I guess congrats are in order then" She came over to Booth and gave him a heartfelt hug, and whispered in his ear "I really am happy for you Seeley. You deserve someone that loves you the way she does" and gave him a hard squeeze. "OK, well I really must go! Temperance, congratulations" she walked over and took Brennans hand and bending down to give her a kiss on the cheek, "Look after him OK? He really is a great guy" she said to her. Rebecca thought that she might have felt differently, bitter, angry, but she really didn't. She truly was happy for them. She gave Parker a kiss on the cheek "See you in a few days honey, OK? Have a great time with your dad and Brennan". Rebecca waved her goodbye and left the apartment.

Booth was still a bit shell-shocked by Brennan's reaction to his announcement, but she was settling down now, and wiping her face on the sleeve of her cardigan. "God I feel so foolish right now" she said. "You could have warned me Booth. Rebecca must think I'm strange now." Booth smiled his relief, "Now?" he joked. Brennan glared up at him. He stepped back, mocking fear. His hands raised to protect himself "Just joking Bones." Parker joined in, and they soon had Brennan laughing too.

"So. Who wants pizza for dinner?" he asked. "Sounds great Dad" Parker replied. Brennan nodded and got up to find the take-away menu. There was a veil of pure happiness settling over them at that moment. They were a real family.

Booth stopped for a moment and looked, truly looked, at what was in front of him. A beautiful woman, his partner, his soulmate, his lover, his best friend, his soon to be wife. A son, tall, strong, smart, good hearted, funny, one any father would be proud of. A nice apartment, comfortable, warm, welcoming, a home. He had so much to be thankful for.

Booth bowed his head for a moment and sent up a silent prayer of thanks.


	26. Chapter 26

Angel had been back from LA for two days. He was still exhausted. The trip had not gone quite as smoothly as he had hoped, but then again, when did anything go smoothly for him?

Cordelia had looked terrible when he had walked in the door. He was worried when he saw her. Her hair was tangled and unbrushed, her face was blotchy and swollen from crying. He was pretty sure she was still wearing the same clothes she had on the day he left. But all that disappeared when she smiled at him. Her pure joy at the sight of him shone through her eyes and warmed his soul. She didn't care what she looked like, she was just happy and relieved that he was home. And so was Angel. The feel of her arms around him, the warmth of her body, the taste of her lips, was home to him.

They had showered and made love and he had slept, actually slept, for what seemed like a week. When he finally got up, she had cleaned the apartment, restocked the fridge with fresh blood supplies and an assortment of herbs (he sighed, knowing that that meant she was going to be flavouring his blood for a few days), fruit and vegetables. He had gone down to the office and found her sorting through accounts and tidying files.

"OK. I'm up. Ready to hear about my trip?" he asked her. She dropped the pile of folders and ran over to him "About time mister! Do you know how hard it's been waiting for you to wake up! Tell me!" she pulled him over to the old sofa and sat down. "I was so worried when you came home, you looked awful, your clothes were torn, and what has happened to your bag?" Angel waited for her barrage of questions to end, then he spoke.

"OK. I'd been in Los Angeles for about 20 minutes only to find out there is still a price on my head there. Wolfram & Hart were mad, really mad when we escaped LA. They think that they can't touch us here in Washington, and that has made them furious. I don't believe they want anything other than revenge on me. They had lookouts everywhere. Like they were waiting for me. That's how I got jumped by some of their thugs. They knew I was in LA and they simply tracked me. I think they worked out that I was headed for the Oracles. Anyway, It worked out and I'm OK. They didn't fare so well, and I feel bad about that." he hesitated. "I guess they suspected that I wouldn't have come back unless something really big was up. I just hope they don't find out what we know and put two and two together."

Cordelia sat listening to him, a little frown on her forehead, the one that she always got when she was listening, but really, she was dying to butt in and ask a question. Which she did. "But you spoke to the Oracles? Right? You found out what the real meaning of the Shanshu is?"

Angel looked at Cordy and held up his hand. "Finding the Oracles was not easy. Cordy, you used to have an open channel to the Powers That Be. I don't, I never did. Even after you were gone, and I got those visions, I was never contacted by them. The only way I have ever been able to get any help or information was through the Oracles. And even that has become complicated because they moved the portal and cast protective binding spells around it since the last time it was breached. I was lucky. I got some help from some of our old contacts. Otherwise the whole trip might have been pointless, or disastrous."

He stood up and walked over to the fireplace, squatting down and inspecting the ashes. "Angel, what did you find out?" Cordelia was impatient as always, sitting on the edge of the seat.

Angel stood up and looked at her "Brennan is pregnant" he said. He stood waiting for the wave to hit. And it did. "Oh my god! Are you kidding me? How? When? She never told me! I wonder what Booth thinks? They must be over the moon! I wonder if it's a boy or a girl? This is so exciting!" Cordy was up and literally skipping backwards and forwards waving her hands in the air and grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Angel spoke calmly at first "Cordy. Cordy?" She was skipping around the room now giggling and clapping her hands. "Cordelia? _CORDY_!" he had to resort to yelling to break through her chatter. "What?" she stopped skipping and stared at him. "Cordy, you have to calm down. I know because the Oracles decided that we needed to know the truth. And the only reason they told me was because it seems I, well, we, are going to be the guardians of the child. I'm sure Booth will be _thrilled_ by that when he finds out." he said rolling his eyes. "Cordy, I'm not sure if Brennan even suspects it yet. Apparently it's just happened. _And_, before you ask, I pretty much believe it happened the usual way, they are both human after all. And I know what sex the child is, but I don't think I can tell you because I know what you are like. You'll see Temperance and blurt it out."

Cordelia's bottom lip dropped and she stood with her arms folded across her chest, sulking. "I won't tell them. Angel, please? You can't do this to me! I have to know! I promise, not a word will pass my lips." She stepped up to him and grabbed hold of his arm, giving him her best puppy dog face. "Don't do that Cordy. It's not going to work this time. I can't. Really. I can't!" Cordy let go of his arm and stormed over to the couch and dropped down onto it. She was suddenly hit with the bigger picture. As though what she had just heard had finally processed. "Wait! Angel! You mean, their baby? Their baby is the one talked about in Wesley's notes about the prophecy?"

Her eyes were like saucers. Suddenly they filled with tears and her bottom lip dropped and quivered. Angel became worried. "Cordy? What's wrong?" He went to join her on the sofa. "I thought_ I_ was going to have a baby" she mumbled quietly, her face covered by her hands. "I saw the references about the newborn child, the reward, the rebirth of your soul and I thought" her voice trailed off into silent tears. "Oh" Angel said. He sat next to her, not sure what to say or do. He had never thought in a million years that she would have interpreted the notes in that way.

He felt bad. They had never talked about that side of their life because he knew it was impossible. Vampires could not sire children. It simply didn't happen. This was something that clearly Cordy had forgotten. Or perhaps she just hoped that some miracle was going to happen. He gently rubbed her back. She was crying softly. He hated it when she cried. It made him feel so helpless. She had cried so much over the years, endured so much. He had tried to make sure that she had nothing to cry over in Washington. He thought he had done a pretty good job. But he didn't see this coming.

"Cordy, I'm sorry. I had no idea that you were thinking, that you wanted that. I just didn't realise. If I could give you a child, Cordy you know I would. To have a son or a daughter. Hell I'd give anything for that myself. But it's not possible. I don't know what else to say. I've tried to give you everything, but I guess it's never going to be quite enough, is it?" he sighed. Cordelia turned to him, tears streaking her face. Her hazel eyes were bright and wide. "Angel, I don't want anything other than what you have given me. I'm sorry, I guess it was just the shock of finding out about Temperance. Baby I love you. I have loved you since I met you, and I will love you forever and a day. We have something that most people don't have, each other for a lifetime, and more." Angel kissed her, and felt his chest constrict. That was something else that he had to discuss with her.

"About that. I think, that once this baby thing is out in the open, and we have explained our roles to Booth, we need to tell them about that other thing about you. They will start to wonder you know. Time will pass, their child will grow, they will age. Me, they know about, but you? I think that might be a shock for them." Angel said. Cordy nodded. "I know. I guess I didn't want to tell them because they might not look at me the same way once they knew. But you're right. We have to tell them."


	27. Chapter 27

Brennan felt ill, terrible. She lay her head down on the desk and closed her eyes. If the spinning would stop, she was sure she would be able to just focus on her work. Booth walked in the door and saw her laying on the desk. "Bones! Are you OK?" he ran over to her and pulled the hair back from her face. She opened her eyes and turned her bleary bloodshot eye up to him. "Can you please stop asking me if I'm OK? I'm just a little nauseous. It's nothing, really. Booth, please. I just have a stomach flu. I probably should have stayed home in bed instead of coming in and trying to finish this report". She sat up and leaned back in her chair, her eyes closed.

Booth gritted his teeth "That's it! I've had enough. You are seeing a doctor this afternoon." She sat up and leaned forwards trying to pull the receiver from his hands. "Booth, no! I don't need to see a doctor. I told you, I have a virus". Booth stood holding the phone up in the air out of her reach. "That's a load of bull and you know it! You might have the word 'Doctor' in front of your name but that doesn't make you a medical doctor. Bones, it's been two weeks! You haven't been sick for two weeks in all the years I've known you!" He picked up the phone and stepped back away from the desk. "I'm calling and making you an appointment, and I'm taking you there myself to make sure you go. End of story." She folded her arms petulantly across her chest "But I" Booth turned his back on her and spoke to the nurse that answered the phone.

Booth hung up the phone and triumphantly placed it back on her desk, his smug smile firmly in place. "There. Get ready Bones. Your appointment is in twenty minutes. I pulled some strings." Brennan opened her mouth, then closed it, then opened it again "Twenty minutes? Why so soon, couldn't you make it for tomorrow, or the next day? Booth this is going to be a huge waste of time." She continued to try to come up with excuses for not going as he helped her on with her jacket and handed her handbag to her. She tried to stop at Angela's office to talk, but Booth simply grabbed her arm and pulled her along to the elevator. He stepped into the elevator dragging her in with him. The door closed. "You're going." was all he said as they descended to the ground floor.

They were sitting in the doctors waiting room for only 5 minutes when the nurse came to collect Brennan. Booth stood up to go with her. Brennan looked at him and frowned. "What are you doing?" she asked. "I'm coming in with you of course." he answered walking past her into the doctor's office. Brennan stood outside the door and growled "I am quite capable of seeing the doctor on my own thank you very much!" She jammed her hands onto her hips and stood glaring at him. "Oh I know, but you are also quite capable of not telling me what he says, and I am not about to let that happen. Get in here now. Or do I have to come out there and throw you over my shoulder and carry you in?" he said matter of factly. Brennans eyes flashed and she opened her mouth to dare him, but then thought better of it. The waiting room was full of patients and it would give Booth great pleasure to pick her up and throw her over his shoulder in front of them just like he said. "Fine" She stomped past him into the office. He bowed with a flourish as she passed, grinning, followed her into the office, and closed the door.

Brennan sat in the passenger seat of the car staring at the road ahead. Booth kept glancing at her every few minutes. "Can you please stop that?" she said. He grinned and replied "I can't help it. Bones!" He looked back at the road and continued driving. "Booth! Please. Can we just get home safely? Then you can say whatever you want, OK?" she continued to look at the road, avoiding his grinning face. Booth reached over and stroked her hair, she slapped his hand away and turned to face him "Booth! Hands on the wheel! And watch the road!" He turned his gaze back to the road and started to giggle. "And stop that stupid laughing!" she added. He started humming tunelessly some old song. "Oh for god's sake!" she turned on the radio and turned up the volume so she couldn't hear him giggling again.

Booth unlocked the door and Brennan pushed past him into the apartment. He closed the door behind them and before she had a chance to put her bag down, he swept up behind her, turned her around and wrapped his arms around her twirling her around. "A baby! Bones! We are going to have a baby!" He kept kissing her and twirling her around. "Booth, please, stop. You are making me dizzy. Booth!" and she promptly vomited down the front of his shirt. "Oh my god! I'm sorry!" she blurted and ran for the bathroom. Booth stood stunned in the middle of the room looking down at his shirt. "I can't believe you just yakked on me!" he yelled out to her. She replied faintly "Well what did you expect whizzing me around like that! You know my stomach has been churning!" He came into the bathroom, stripping of his shirt and throwing it in the bathtub and running water on it. "I don't care, you can throw up on me every day for all I care. We're having a baby Bones! A BABY!" He grabbed her and lifted her in the air again. "So help me if you twirl me around again." she warned him. He kissed her and put her feet back on the floor, and kissed her again.

"I can't believe I didn't put two and two together! The tiredness, the light-headedness, the vomiting" he said to her. Brennan put the seat down on the toilet and sat on it staring up at him. She pushed her hair back off her face and grabbed a facecloth and wiped her face. "You can't believe it? How do you think I feel? I must be the most stupid woman in the world!" She sat looking at him, then her face began to crumple and she burst into tears. "I'm going to be a terrible mother. I didn't even know I was pregnant!" her sobbing turning into a howling that made Booth step backwards. "Bones, honey. It's OK. It's going to be OK. You just didn't realise it because we weren't expecting it, that's all. You weren't looking for the signs. But we know now. You're happy aren't you?" he knelt down in front of her "Aren't you?" he repeated reaching out and lifting her chin and dabbing at her eyes with his handkerchief. Brennan nodded and sniffed "I'm so happy. I am! I'm just shocked!" She leaned forwards and buried her head in his neck. Her muffled voice sobbing again "I'm pregnant Booth!" He patted her back and stroked her hair. "We're pregnant Bones. We are doing this together. And we are going to do it great." She sat back and looked at him nodding. "And" he added "To start things off right, I think we should get married right away. What do you say?" he asked.

Brennan stared at Booth. She saw his hair, ruffled and windblown, his singlet, slightly wet down the front from her little accident on his shirt, his eyes. Oh how she loved those soft, warm, dark eyes. She could see everything in them, his love for her, his happiness, their future. She looked at his mouth, curling up at the corners, dimpling his cheeks, widening into that smile that made her heart beat a little quicker. "Yes." she replied before he wrapped her in his strong arms and lifted her up to stand against him.


	28. Chapter 28

Angel picked up the phone and hesitated for a moment. Cordelia was sitting opposite him biting her bottom lip and fiddling with a strand of hair that had escaped from her ponytail. "Come on! Dial them!" she nodded at him. Angel sighed, and glanced at the clock. 8.00pm. "You don't think it's too late?" he asked, not really wanting to intrude on their evening. "Oh you wuss!" Cordy exclaimed taking the receiver from him and dialling the number herself. "It's ringing" she shoved the receiver back at Angel and sat back smiling. He looked from her to the receiver in his hand, and slowly lifted it to his ear.

Brennan answered the phone "Hello, Dr. Temperance Brennan speaking". Angel looked at Cordy and mouthed the word _Brennan_ to her, then spoke into the phone "Temperance, it's Angel". Brennan smiled at the sound of the familiar voice on the phone, restraining herself from calling him Booth "Angel! How are you? It's so nice to hear from you, and how is Cordy?" she asked. As much as Booth had tried to dissuade her from getting too close to them, she could not help but feel attracted to Angel, for obvious reasons, and also to Cordy who's bubbly nature was just appealing in general. Angel responded "I'm good, thanks. And Cordy is good too. Umm, I, well actually, we were calling to see if you and Booth were free sometime this week. There is still such a lot for us to discuss, after our last meeting, especially. By the way are you feeling better?" Angel asked.

Brennan felt herself blushing as she listened to the voice on the other end of the line, "I am actually, thank you. And yes, getting together would be good. You're right there is still so much to explore and discuss." She responded enthusiastically. "I have an idea. How would you and Cordy like to come over for dinner on the weekend?" she asked. Angel was holding the phone slightly away from his hear "Umm on the weekend? Dinner? Errr" He looked at Cordy as he screwed his face up in one of those _I don't know what to say_ faces, and shook his head, one hand raised as if pleading for help. "Oh for goodness sake!" Cordy snatched the phone out of Angels hand and spoke "Temperance! It's me! Cordelia!" She poked her tongue out at Angel who still stood looking confused.

Brennan smiled at the bright sound of Cordys voice. There was just something about Cordelia. She couldn't put her finger on it, but it was like a warmth washed over you when she was around. "Cordy! I was just saying to Angel that I think it would be nice if you two came over for dinner on Saturday night. Would that be suitable?" she asked. "We'd LOVE that!" Cordy squealed. "Can we bring anything?" she asked. Brennan found herself grinning at Cordys enthusiasm and replied "No. Just come and bring your appetite." She suddenly remembered Angel and felt quite embarrassed. "Cordy, I hate to ask, but. What do I do about Angel? I just remembered that he doesn't actually eat! I'm so embarrassed! Oh God, no wonder he hesitated when I asked him. I'm sorry."

Brennan covered her eyes with her hands, mortified at her faux pas. Cordy, bright as ever responded "Oh don't worry about Angel. We'll bring something for him, as long as you don't mind him heating it up in your microwave. And I'm sure he would love to try your cooking. He often has little tastes of my little culinary inventions" she looked over at Angel and winked at him. Angel smirked and folded his arms across his chest and shook his head in wonderment at her. She promptly poked her tongue out at him and smiled her wonderful wide smile at him. _I love you_ he mouthed at her, and she replied silently _I know_.

Brennan hung up the phone happy that they had called and pleased with the arrangements she had made. Now she just had to let Booth know that he was having visitors on Saturday night for dinner. Her only worry, what if she felt ill while cooking. "Oh well, we will just have to worry about that on the night" she thought to herself.

Cordy skipped around the desk and replaced the phone on it. Angel still stood with his arms folded over his chest watching her, his smirk still in place. "And what are you smirking at Mister!" she asked as she skipped up to him and kissed him firmly. He unfolded his arms and placed his hands on her hips "You of course! My little social director." he laughed at her. "I just hope that this isn't too much for Booth to handle. He's barely grasping things as it is. And don't go blurting about the baby. They may not even know yet. Promise me."

His face was serious now. His hands leaving her hips and grabbing her shoulders "I mean it Cordy. Not one single word. We cannot afford to fall backwards in this. Booth has been a hard nut to crack, and I think we are starting to get him on board, but I do not want all our hard work undone by your over eager tongue" he lectured her. Cordelia stood up on her tiptoes and kissed the tip of Angels nose "Ooh you are a grumpy boy." She stepped back from him and placed one hand over her heart and held the other on up like she was swearing on a bible "I promise. I should be struck down dead if I blurt". Angel shook his head and smiled at her. She poked her tongue out at him again and headed into the bedroom, calling out over her shoulder "I have to work out what I'm going to wear!" Angel rolled his eyes and called after her. "Are you sure you have enough time? It's already Tuesday after all"


	29. Chapter 29

Angel stood fiddling with the collar on his shirt, his forehead crinkling in a frown as he stood looking down at the smoky blue shirt Cordy had given him to wear.

"Are you sure about this shirt? Its blue. I wanted to wear that dark grey one." he asked gesturing to the shirt hanging on the hanger on the door knob. "Angel, stop fiddling with the collar and let me look at you" Cordelia said as she spun him around to face her. She smiled at him "You look very handsome. You should wear blue more often, it suits you!" she said as she made one last adjustment to the collar for him. Angel looked down at himself and muttered "It's blue".

She stepped back and twirled around for him "You like?" she asked. He grinned back at her "Yes, I like. A lot!" Cordy was wearing a deep midnight blue dress, cut low in the neckline with lace inserts on the shoulders, on the back was a circular cut out and the same lace was inserted. The skirt was mid thigh length and flared out as she twirled around. Her long shapely legs were bare and she wore strappy navy sandals with impossibly high heels. Angel grabbed her mid twirl and kissed her. "You sure we haven't got a bit of time up our sleeves?" he asked cheekily, nuzzling her neck. "Absolutely not!" she pushed him back and grabbed her handbag off the dressing table. "We are not going to be late for our very first dinner party!" she called back as she walked towards the stairs. Angel pulled awkwardly at the collar of his shirt one more time and followed her out of the apartment.

Booth stood in front of the mirror adjusting the collar on his shirt. Brennan came up behind him and reached around his body, unbuttoning one button and straightening the collar "There. That's much better." she commented, nodding her head at him in the mirror. "You look very handsome Booth" she added smiling shyly at him. He turned and held her face between his hands "Thankyou Bones. And you? You look amazing!" Brennan was wearing a silvery skirt that skimmed over her hips and ended with a ruffled hem just above her knee. She had teamed it with a black lacy top. Her hair was hanging down around her shoulders, swinging softly as she tilted her head. "Hey" he said looking at the clock "they won't be here for at least an hour you know" winking at her. Brennan shoved him backwards "Oh no. I have a lot still to do, and you are going to help me!" she announced and headed out of the bedroom. "Come on" she called and then popped back through the door making a gesture with her hands, "Chop! Chop! As you would say!" then she giggled at her own culinary joke and turned around and disappeared.

Brennan looked up from stirring the pot on the stovetop when the doorbell rang. Booth was up to his elbows in salad. "You keep chopping, I'll get the door," she said. She quickly wiped her hands on her apron and undid it, slipping it over her head and dropping on a dining chair. She smoothed her skirt and opened the door.

"Angel! Cordelia! Hello!" Brennan stepped aside and motioned for them to come in. Angel stood in the doorway looking at her somewhat embarrassed. Brennan, not realising why, looked back at him. Cordelia stepped in, "Oops! We forgot to mention. You have to actually invite Angel in for him to be able to cross your threshold". She had stepped back out the door and was holding Angels arm. Brennan blushed "Oh Angel, I'm sorry! Of course you are very welcome in our home, please come in".

As Angel stepped through the doorway, she held out her hand to him and as he took it, she stretched up and dropped a soft kiss on his cheek. "I'm so glad you came" she whispered to him. Angel started, slightly surprised by her action, then smiled widely at her. Brennan felt her heart do a little skip, then she checked herself and said "Come on in and make yourselves at home. Can I get you something to drink?"

Cordy gave her a big hug "Thanks for inviting us Temperance. Your place is gorgeous!" she said looking around Brennan and Booths large open apartment. Brennan had lived here alone for a long time and it was filled with unusual art pieces and strange ornaments she had collected from her many forays into weird and wonderful parts of the world. Booth had moved in with her a few years ago, and his own small touches were seen here and there. Sporting memorabilia, some trophies, a couple of antique guns mounted on the wall, framed photos of his son Parker, him and Brennan. A strange set of blue seats which looked like they had been pulled out of a sporting arena sat along a wall. "Thank you! We like it." she walked across to the bar and asked "now about those drinks?" Cordy replied "Oh I'll have a wine if you have it, white?" Angel was standing in the middle of the room looking around. Brennan asked him "Angel? Anything to drink?" not knowing if he did drink alcohol or not. "I'll have a scotch if you have it, on the rocks please" he responded. "That's what Booth drinks" Brennan responded smiling at him "I wonder how many other things you have in common?" At that moment Booth emerged from the kitchen.

He took a few steps into the room and stopped dead. The silence was only broken by the sound of Cordy and Brennan laughing out loud. Angel and Booth were standing about ten feet apart, hands on hips, fingers tucked into their belts of their black trousers and the exact same smoky blue shirt. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me!" Booth exclaimed throwing his hands up into the air. Angels mouth had dropped open. He turned to Cordy and said "Cordy!" and then he looked down at his shirt and over at Booth and back at his shirt. Booth was beginning to unbutton his shirt. "That's it! I'm changing!" he stomped off into the bedroom throwing the shirt through the door in front of him. He emerged a few minutes later wearing a dark grey shirt. Angel stared at him and whispered to Cordelia "That's the shirt I _WANTED_ to wear!" Cordy laughed out loud again and Angel frowned at her and hissed at her not to say anything. Cordy and Brennan collapsed onto the couch and were still laughing about the _twin_ thing. Angel was slumped in one of the leather chairs sipping at his drink, trying not to look at Booth who was glaring at all three of them.

A timer went off in the kitchen and Brennan got up. "Well, saved by the bell it seems! I'll just be a moment. How about you three have a nice chat while I'm serving up dinner. Booth, you can manage that can't you? Please?" she pleaded with him. Booth watched her go into the kitchen and then turned back and stared at Angel and Cordy for a moment. He still got the heebee geebees when he looked at Angel. It was like looking in a mirror at times. He cleared his throat "So. How is the investigation business going?" he asked. Angel took a sip of his drink and looked at Cordy, who nodded and frowned at him, silently urging him to speak. He looked back at Booth and said "Good".

The ensuing silence was irritating Cordelia. "Oh for goodness sake! When are you two going to stop stalking around each other like you are waiting for the other one to attack! Can't you just talk to each other? Angel, stop acting all holier than thou and superior, and Booth! You act like Angel did this on purpose to spoil your day! Get over it! Both of you. You both exist. You both have a purpose. Work out what it is!" And with that she stood up and followed Brennan into the kitchen. Both men stared after her with their mouths slightly ajar, surprised by her outburst. Angel looked at Booth, his mouth kicking up at the side into an amused smirk. Booth mirrored his smile and commented "Feisty! I like her." Angel laughed "Try living with her!" Both men laughed, their voices blending in a melodic way. They clinked glasses and sat down. The tension finally seemed to have broken.

Cordy was peeking at the two men from around the kitchen door. She whispered to Brennan "I think they finally are talking". Brennan was serving up the stroganoff she had made onto large white plates. "Good. I'm so glad you came Cordy. I really am! We have so much to talk about, and its going to be so much easier now that the boys are not at each other's throats" Cordelia glanced back at her and smiled. Something in the room drew her attention back "Uh Oh. I may have spoken too soon!" The voices from the other room were raised and it sounded like they were having an argument. "Oh no! Well that lasted all of ten minutes, didn't it?" Brennan sighed as she carried plates to the dining table.

"No Way! Phillies all the way. You have no idea what you are talking about Angel. Seriously!" Booth was standing with Angel looking at some of the memorabilia. Angel was pointing to a baseball and laughing. "I remember when Micky Mantle was MVP and I met Babe Ruth several times. Yankees Booth, remember that name, Yankees" Angel placed his hand on Booths shoulder and patted it.

"You met Babe Ruth? Really? When?" Booths eyes were as large as baseballs by now and the two men were engrossed in Angels little trip down the baseball memory lane. Booth was completely mesmorised by his stories. "I hate to break up your little party boys. Dinner is ready" Brennan called out to them, relieved to see that there was no major fight going on. Angel and Booth reluctantly came over to the table and sat down. "Dinner smells great Temperance" Angel said, smiling at her. Cordelia came into the room carrying a bowl of salad and a large mug which she placed down in front of Angel. He smiled up at her and said "Thanks, but I think I might just have a small taste of this wonderful strog. It brings back memories of when I was travelling through Europe".

Brennan smiled at him and passed him a plate "I guess you really have had a lot of time to travel haven't you?" Angel smiled back at her. "Time is something that I've definitely had a lot of, and yes, I have travelled to many countries over the years. Some I have very fond memories of, some, not so much" he looked down at his plate, not wanting her to see the hurt in his eyes as he had a flash of a memory.

Booth picked up his glass and smiled at his guests. "Well, here's to a great meal, thankyou Bones. And to good conversation. I have to add I never, ever thought I would be sitting at my dinner table with a vampire, who is also my apparent twin! I guess there are things that we just cannot expect or explain." He raised his glass higher "Here's to the unexplainable" he toasted. "Inexplicable" Brennan added smiling holding up her glass to his. "Here's to the solving of our own mystery" Angel said, adding his glass. Cordy held up her glass and said "Cheers!" The foursome laughed and drank to their own good health and started dinner.

As he watched the others at the table Angels mind was ticking over, he was trying to decide if tonight was going to be the right time to talk about the prophecy. He sipped at his blood.

Booth forked a chunk of tender steak into his mouth and chewed slowly, looking around the table. He had decided that they were going to tell Angel and Cordy about the baby after dinner. He couldn't wait to see the look on their faces.

Cordelia ate her salad and smiled at Brennan over the table. She couldn't wait for Brennan to find out she was pregnant. She wanted to talk babies!

Brennan took a mouthful of mushrooms and felt her stomach lurch. "No!" She jumped up from the table and ran to the bathroom.

Booth grinned widely and started to laugh. He turned back to his guests. "Guess what?"


	30. Chapter 30

"We're having a baby!" Booths' grin was as wide and as toothy as a Cheshire Cat. His hands were splayed and his chest was puffed out with fatherly pride. Angel smiled and extended a hand, shaking Booths "Well, Congratulations Booth! That's wonderful news! Errr, Cordelia?" He nodded in the direction of the bathroom where Brennan's baby joy could still be heard. Cordy stood up and came around and wrapped her arms around Booths shoulders and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Oh I'm so happy I've been wai" Angel interrupted "Cordy? Temperance? I think she needs you." he frowned at her, knowing that she was about to blow their secret.

Cordy stood up, realising that she was almost in trouble "Right. Temperance. Oh Booth, I'm so happy for you both!" She bent down and kissed him again on the cheek. As she stood up she poked her tongue out at Angel, then grinned. She headed off to the bathroom to see how Brennan was doing, although from the sounds of it, not so well. Angel watched her and smiled and thought to himself "_Cordy_ _blurt avoided_".

"So, when did you get the good news Booth?" Angel tested the waters. Booth was still grinning "Well, let's see. About a week ago, I finally got Bones to go to the doctors. She was convinced it was stomach flu." Angel smiled "But you thought she was pregnant?" he asked. Booth took a swig of his drink and shoveled more of the stroganoff into his mouth, chewing as he spoke. "Nope. I didn't even think about it being a baby. We weren't trying you see. I was worried it was something more serious. She's been ill for weeks. Actually, since you came to the Jeffersonian and she did those tests on you. Remember when she fainted? That was probably the start of it. I, well, _we_, just never put two and two together."

He went back to his dinner. Angel took a small bite of the stroganoff and closed his eyes, savouring the taste. He opened his eyes and Booth was looking at him, his head cocked slightly to one side, his brown eyes intently studying him, under his furrowed brow. Angel smiled "You're thinking about how much we look alike aren't you? I know. I do the same when I think you aren't watching me. It's uncanny, isn't it? I've only ever really seen myself a handful of times in the last 260 odd years. But I know enough to realise that when I'm looking at you, I could be looking in a mirror. Granted you are about 16 or 17 years older than I was when I," Angel hesitated, not knowing quite how to phrase it. "Passed over?" Booth offered. "Yes" Angel smiled and took a drink. "that's as good a way as any to describe it."

Angel sighed "I was 26 years old, a young man, stupid, foolish, selfish. I lusted after women, I was a petty thief, and drank way too much for someone my age. Most of the boys I had grown up with were employed, married, had their own families, and were growing old,_'growing up'. _I rebelled against it, mostly because it's all my father ever talked about. And because of my selfish ways. Well. This is what I became. I guess you could say I got my wish. I never grew up." Angel dropped his head and felt a wash of shame roll over him. "Tough" Booth said, feeling what almost could be described as pity for the man sitting across the table from him.

"Here we are!" announced Cordy as she and Brennan came back into the room. Brennan looked dreadful. Her face was flushed and her eyes red. "I am so, so sorry about that. It's not like me, really" she began to explain. "It's OK Bones. I've told them about the baby" Booth stood up and helped her into her seat, kissing the top of her head. He stroked her cheek and smiled into her bloodshot eyes. "Can I get you something? Water? Anything?" he asked her. She looked up at him and felt his love wash over her, making her feel better instantly. She pushed her hair out of her face and grinned at him. "Actually I'm kind of hungry. Can you please pass the salad?" she asked Angel, who obliged with a grin "Of course! Congratulations Temperance. I'm so happy for you" he said. Brennan felt her face redden. She could not get away from the attraction she had for Angel.

It was strange. He looked so much like Booth. He _was_ Booth. She felt Booths eyes on her, questioning her blush. She took the salad bowl from Angel and smiled shyly "Thank you, for the salad and the congratulations! Booth and I are still getting used to the idea. It was a bit of a shock to us both. But we are very happy." She smiled brightly and turned her eyes to Booth, who smiled back at her. She thought to herself, no matter how attractive she thought Angel was, it was Booth who made her heart beat faster and her eyes sparkle and her mouth smile. "Very happy" Booth said as he reached over and stroked her cheek again.

Cordelia was watching everything that was happening at the table. She looked at Angel and he didn't miss the glisten in the corner of her eye that she quickly wiped away. "So when is the baby due?" Cordy asked. "Do you know what you are having? Do you want a boy or a girl? Are you going to fix up a nursery specially or have the baby in your room? Have you told Parker yet?" Angel stood up and walked over to Cordy "Cordy? Calm down. They just found out. They probably have not had time to think about all those things." He led Cordy to her chair and helped her sit. She smiled "I'm sorry. I get a little excited about babies. I love them so much." A shadow crossed her face, then quickly disappeared. "I guess I did ask a couple of stupid questions. Sorry." She picked up her fork and began to eat her dinner.

Brennan immediately knew that Cordy could not have a child with Angel although she had not told her so. She could sense it, see it in the young woman's face. She felt bad for her. An overwhelming urge to include her in things overcame her. Brennan had started having overly emotional responses to all sorts of things. She supposed it was the pregnancy affecting her hormones. She tried to remember if Angela had mentioned this while she was pregnant.

"Cordelia, I don't know much about babies. Well, nothing actually. I wonder. Would you like to go shopping with me one day? For baby things?" Brennan asked. Cordys face lit up and she smiled widely "Would I? That would be wonderful! Thank you!" Brennan smiled back at her "Great, we'll arrange a day." Brennan sat back in her chair and felt quite happy with herself.

Angel raised his glass and said "I'd like to propose a toast if I might." He smiled and cleared his throat.

"Sláinte agus saol agat, Bean ar do mhian agat, Leanbh gach blian agat, Agus bás n Éireann".

Angel smiled and translated for them. "Health and a long life to you, A partner of your choice to you, A child every year to you."

He continued, in English "And if you can't go to heaven, May you at least die in Ireland. Or something like that, I forget it exactly" . Cordelia reached over and grabbed his arm "That was beautiful Angel" she said. She turned and smiled at Booth and Brennan, "He loves poetry" she added. Angel laughed and patted her hand.

Booth had felt a strange pull in his chest and head as he listened to the lilting Celtic words. It was like something jolted deep inside him. He stared at Angel and swore he knew the words before Angel had actually said them. He shook his head and looked at the glass in front of him and wondered "I've only had one drink. Must be because I haven't eaten much today. The alcohol must be getting to me" He shook off the feeling and took Brennan's hand in his.

He smiled, raised his glass to join Angels, and everybody raised their own glasses and chimed in

"Cheers!"


	31. Chapter 31

Dinner had gone well... conversations surrounding babies, food, wine and of course Booth and Brennan's impending nuptials had filled the room with laughter and jokes. It was as though these two couples had known each other their whole lives rather than a matter of weeks. Their differences forgotten, Booth and Angel had joked about wedding jitters and impending fatherhood, something Angel found himself honestly interested in.

He felt Cordys eyes on him at times during those conversations, feeling her emotions coursing through him. They had a bond, forged from love and blood that no mortal man could ever understand. He knew she was happy for Booth and Brennan whilst her own heart was breaking. It hurt him to know he couldn't do a thing about it. He glanced up at her and she smiled that secret smile at him. Her eyes were glistening brightly with unshed teardrops that only he noticed. He reached across the table and grabbed her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. He drifted from the conversation for just a moment and mouthed the words _I love you_ to her. she smiled back, returning the squeeze of his hand.

Later on, Cordelia and Brennan were washing up dishes in the kitchen chatting happily about babies and all things maternity. Angel was sitting observing Booth silently pouring himself another glass of red wine. "Wine?" Booth offered Angel. He nodded and extended his glass. Angel watched the rich red liquid flow into the glass, clinging to the sides momentarily then flowing into the bowl, he lifted it to his nose and inhaled deeply. The scents of cranberries, honey, oak filled his senses. Booth was watching him. "I thought you guys didn't, you know, breath?" he asked Angel. Angel smiled and looked at Booth, somewhat amused by the interest in his physiology.

"Ah, yes. Well technically we don't need to breathe to live. It doesn't necessarily mean I can't inhale though. Hard to explain. I can and have smoked on and off over the years. I quite enjoy a good Cuban. I can blow up a balloon, or blow out a candle. I can "breathe" to make someone feel more comfortable around me. Not breathing can draw unwanted attention too. It's like eating. I don't need to eat to survive, but I can still enjoy flavours and textures, although they are more diluted than you experience. I do however have an enhanced sense of smell. I can smell a human, uh. I mean, I can." He stopped mid-sentence. He didn't really know how to tell Booth that he could smell a human from three blocks away, and he could smell blood from even further. Booth answered for him "You can smell people?". Angel smiled sheepishly "Yes, actually, I can" he answered Booth.

"Huh. Weird" Booth commented and took a mouthful of wine and let it sit on his tongue before swallowing the ruby liquid. Angel followed suit and smiled, it was good to enjoy some of the things that mortals took for granted. He decided that it was time to have a quiet word with Booth. "Booth, would you mind stepping out onto the balcony with me?" he asked. "Sure, why not" Booth responded standing up. He glanced over at the girls, but they were still engrossed in their discussion, so he led the way to the doors that opened out onto the large balcony.

The two men stepped out into the night. Angel walked over to the railing and stood, eyes closed, feeling the coolness of the night air on his skin, the scent of it in his nostrels. He lifted his head and opened his eyes looking up into the sky and sighed. "You know, this is my world Booth. Darkness, the cold night air, the stars and moon are my light, but I miss the warmth that comes with the sun. I miss that very much". Booth stood looking out over the skyline in front of them. "Bummer." He responded. "Yes. Bummer indeed" Angel agreed. He turned and faced Booth. "I need to talk to you about something. It's about your child."

Booths head jerked up and his instincts kicked in. He grabbed the front of Angels shirt "What about our baby?" he growled, pushing him up against the railing. Angel calmly stood and looked Booth in the eye, "Nothing is wrong Booth. Believe me. But I have to tell you. I knew about the child before you and Brennan did. I know the sex of the child. I believe I now know the reason we have met. The meaning of the prophecy I told you about. It's not about me being reborn, or you being born. It's about your child being born."

Booth was still holding onto the front of Angels shirt glaring into his face, he pushed Angel away from him and spat "What the hell are you talking about?". Booths face was red and he was breathing heavily, his hands balled into fists. He wanted to punch Angel and didn't even know why. He just knew that every time he started to get comfortable or let his guard down around Angel, something always happened to freak him out again. This was one of those things. "Don't you dare give me some cockamamie story about taking our baby away because some wrinkly old dude wrote it in a stupid prophecy!" He yelled at Angel.

Angel stood quietly silent, allowing Booth to vent. He knew this was Booths fear mechanism kicking in. He knew that Booth still feared him in many ways, his inability to completely understand the situation he had found himself in scared him, and Booth didn't like feeling like that. So, he got angry. After a few minutes, Angel spoke. "Booth, calm down. I never said anything about taking the baby. Did I? No. I said I knew that Temperance was pregnant before you did, I said that I knew what sex the child was going to be, I said that I now think I know what the prophecy means. That's all I said." He stood looking at Booth and calmly took a sip of his wine, allowing his words to sink in.

Booth stepped towards him. "You knew? When? How? How long have you known?" he asked. Angel shrugged, "Not long after we came to the Jeffersonian to have those tests done, I got a sense that something big was going to happen. I couldn't shake it. So I took a little trip. Back to LA." Booth interrupted, "Didn't you tell us that you couldn't ever go back there?" he asked. Angel nodded "I did say that, but I went anyway. It was not without danger, but I got back OK. But that's not the important thing. I went back there because I had contacts that could help me get to see the Oracles. They are the ones who finally explained the prophecy to me, with a little persuasion of course. Booth, the original prophecy proclaimed that once I had, for want of a better phrase, made amends for my past, that I would become human again, fully, and live out my life as a mortal man. But there were" he stumbled over the right word "amendments, other prophecies that we came across that my friend Wesley had been trying to decipher before he died. He had made some notes, but they really didn't make sense to us, so I decided to go back to find out once and for all."

Booth stared at him "And you did" he said matter of factly. Angel nodded seriously "Yes. I did. See, Cordy and I thought, that you, had been born in lieu of my being made mortal. And in a way that was true. You are for whatever reason, are me." Booth interjected again "Well did you ask them why? Or how?" Angel walked along the balcony, looking out over the city skyline. "They did not tell me how. Just that you exist because of me." He held up a hand as Booth was about to interject again to stop him "Don't ask me how. I don't know how. I don't even think it's important now. What I did find out was about your child with Temperance." Booth followed him along the balcony and grabbed his arm "Can you just stop and tell me what you found out?" Angel smiled.

"Booth, your child is my reward. I, well Cordelia and I, have been charged with being the child's guardians. Your child will be a leader of men, will change the world eventually, will be capable of wonderful things, if given the right guidance. We will not be raising the child, that's your role. You are the parents. We will simply be in the background, watching. And, that reminds me. There's something you need to know about Cordy. She didn't want to say anything because she truly loves both you and Temperance. She has not had a true friend for many years. Not since our partner Wesley passed away. She has always held herself back from people fearing that she would lose them. But she connected strongly with Temperance. She really likes her.

"What are you trying to say Angel. Is there something wrong with Cordy?" Booth asked. "No. Nothing wrong with her at all. She's just. She doesn't. Cordy is" Angel hesitated not wanting to say it "Immortal. She will never age, nor die from natural causes, like illness or old age. She will live as long as I live. We are connected. A little _gift_ from the Powers That Be. If and when I die. It's quite possible so shall she. She can however be killed, but, as far as we know, her passing will not end my life, although I would want to die if I was without her" he trailed off.

He waited for Booth to digest this. As usual Booth started stalking around in a circle, his fists opening and closing. His face set like stone, his jaw clenched. Booth was unable to hide his emotions, Angel had worked that out the first time he met him. He quite liked that about him. You knew where you stood. If you were smart, you just waited. Angel stood, waiting.

Booth circled the balcony four times then stopped in front of Angel. "So you and Cordy will outlive us? You will be around watching over our son or daughter even after we are gone?" he said. Angel nodded. "I can live with that." Booth said simply "Let's go join the girls. You better let me tell Brennan about Cordy later. It's been a good night and she's having fun."

He turned to walk inside and Angel grabbed his arm "Don't you want to know more about the prophecy? About what it means?" Booth shook his head "I think I've got enough to think about right now. I figure we have plenty of time for you to explain this stuff to us later on. Look Angel, I'm slowly getting this. It's not easy for me. Understand? I'm, black and white. I don't like grey areas. I find them confusing, distracting, disturbing. You. You are one big fat grey area. But one I have to try to get a handle on, and I will. But in my own time, OK? Me and Bones, we have a lot of things on our plate at the moment. I'm not dismissing this, just pushing it back behind the stuff that is important to us _now_."

Booth was nodding at Angel. "I understand. When you are ready, call me and we'll talk more" Angel held out his hand, Booth took it, looking at their hands joined together. It was like he was entwining his own two hands together, apart from the difference in colour and temperature "your cold hands still creep me out" he smiled at Angel. "I know" Angel responded replicating his smile.

The two men turned and started to walk back into the apartment to join their partners. Booth stopped suddenly "Wait! You know what we're having?" he asked. Angel simply smiled, made a little key turning action in front of his lips and continued walking inside. Booth stood shocked for a moment, then followed him inside.


	32. Chapter 32

Booth was still badgering Angel as they entered the apartment. Angels smirk firmly in place and his mouth firmly shut. It was driving Booth nuts, and Angel knew it. Just as Booth was about to ask Angel again, his phone rang. Booth reached into his pocket and pulled it out, flipping it open, he saw Caroline's number and answered it immediately.

Booths face clouded while he was listening to Caroline. They had a lead on a case that had been thought to be cold. Booth had the phone jammed between his ear and his shoulder and was scrabbling in the bureau for a pen and paper. Frantically jotting down notes as Caroline spoke. He frowned and spoke quietly into the phone so nobody else could hear "and he's there now? You're sure? OK. Yep. No, nothing important, I'm on it. Make sure nobody else is there, or at least not out in the open. OK, thanks" and he hung up.

He grabbed his green camo jacket and walked over to Brennan who was looking at him with a confused expression. "Don't worry Bones. Caroline just called me, she's having trouble finding a file and she's getting cranky." He lifted her chin with his finger and leaned in close to her "I just have to go help her otherwise my life won't be worth living in the morning. You know how she gets. OK babe?" He dropped a kiss on her nose and then leaned in and kissed her deeply "I won't be late, promise. I love you both" he said resting a hand on her belly. Brennan stared deeply into his eyes looking for any sign of trouble. She nodded and smiled "OK. Try not to be long?" and then she added, but didn't really know why "be careful Booth". He looked at her and winked.

"Sorry folks. Work calls. It's been a great evening, but I have to go. Angel," he pointed at Angel "We'll finish that conversation later" he tilted his head and nodded at him. Angel smiled and simply said "and what conversation would that be?" Booth replied "Very funny Angel. Hilarious." He opened the door, turned to look at Brennan and then left.

Brennan looked at her guests and felt the need to apologise for Booth. "I'm sorry about that. That was the prosecutor from the Attorneys Office that works with us. She's a bit," Brennan hesitated looking for the right word for Caroline "testy." Cordy replied "Oh that's OK Temperance. Angel is _testy_ a lot too!" she looked at Angel and poked out her tongue. "Hey! Don't forget I'm your boss!" he laughed as her grabbed her and gave her a big hug. He winked at Brennan "Of course, she's right too" He then stood back and started patting his pockets as if he was looking for something. "Oh no! I've forgotten something. I'll be back in a minute. I just have to go down to the car" and he started for the door.

Cordy started to follow him across the room "What? What did you forget? You didn't tell me you were bringing anything special?" Angel stopped and looked at her "It's just something I forgot. I'll be back in a minute Cordy" and he glared at her willing her to back off and cover for him. After a few seconds Cordelia twigged and she winked at Angel "Ohhhh, OK." she said and turned back to Brennan. "Angel just forgot something" she echoed. Brennan looked at them both, somewhat perplexed but then Cordelia grabbed her arm and pulled her to the sofa and said "So, where are you and Booth getting married?" she had Brennans hand in hers and was inspecting her engagement ring.

Angel slipped out the door and headed out into the night.

Booth approached the warehouse quietly. He had felt bad lying to Bones like that, but he knew she'd either worry and try to get him to stay, or worse still, try to go with him. She was his partner and she felt her place was by his side, no matter the danger. But there was no way he was going to be putting her in any dangerous situations any more. She was pregnant and despite her insistence that that did not make her an invalid, he was determined that she was going to be _retired_ from field work. He just didn't know quite how to tell her.

He peeked around the corner and could see light underneath the side door. The boarded up window had small holes which emitted tiny beams of light from within. Moths and night flyers hovering and flicking in and out of the tiny strands of gold. He checked his gun, pulled his phone out of his pocket and quickly dialled Caroline's number. She answered after only two rings "You there Cherie?" she asked. "Yeah. They're in there Caroline. But I don't know for how long. Backup ready?" he asked her looking around, but not seeing any sign of the backup he was going to need. Caroline hesitated, "they are on their way Cherie, just sit tight for now. Don't you dare approach until they get there, you hear me?" Booth hung up before she could say another word. If he hesitated and they got away, that would mean another year down the drain. He rechecked his gun, slipped the phone into his pocket after putting it on silent and took a breath. He moved, ready to close in when a hand landed heavily on his shoulder and pulled him backwards.

"I wouldn't be that stupid if I was you" a voice whispered in his ear. He spun around and looked straight into Angels eyes. "What the hell! How did you get here. And how did you know where I was? And how come I didn't hear you. And" Angel held his hand up to stop Booths ranting "I'm a vampire Booth. You really think we approach people with bells and whistles roaring? Come on. As for knowing where you were. Let's just say I have a pretty strong bead on your scent, so following you wasn't hard at all. So, what's going on here?" he said nodding towards the warehouse. Booth shrugged Angels hand off his shoulder and hissed "Nothing! Nothing that concerns you. Go. You shouldn't be here. I'm going to have enough on my plate looking after myself without looking after you too!" Angel stifled a snort "Look after me? I think it will be a case of me looking after you!" Booth grabbed Angels shirt front "I don't need looking after Angel" Angel leaned in and the two men were nose to nose. Angel dropped his voice to a menacing whisper "Neither do I Booth. You are forgetting who and what I am." They stood there only inches apart, staring each other down.

A noise broke their silent argument up. They both spun around and peeked around the corner. There was something going on. "Shit!" Booth hissed. "I have to move now. I cannot let them get away again!" Angel patted him on the back "So let's go! You go that way, and I'll circle around and drop in from above" he pointed as he spoke. Booth turned to look at him confused "from above?" he said. But Angel had disappeared. Booth turned back and hissed "What the hell? How did he do that!" He unlocked his gun and proceeded to approach the warehouse doors.

Booth slid along the side of the building, carefully listening for any sound that might mean a vehicle. He reached the side door and tested the door handle, it was unlocked. He cracked it open. He could see a truck, and two men. He stood scanning the inside of the building as best he could through the small opening. _Two men. OK. Let's do this Booth_ he said to himself. He raised his weapon in front of him, kicked the door open and entered the building gun pointed. "FBI" he roared. The men were taken by surprise. They jumped and tried to rush him at the same time. Booth realised that he was at a disadvantage immediately, standing in the open so he made a dive for the large packing containers that were to his left.

One of the men was quicker and he was tackled and brought to the ground. He flipped onto his back and started defending against a volley of punches. He tried to catch sight of the other man in his peripheral vision, but couldn't. He felt pain rocket through his jaw as the man's fist connected with his face. He swung his arm and connected the gun butt with his assailants temple making him fall off of him. Booth scrambled to his feet and bent to grab the man, but found himself gripped from behind by a pair of enormous arms. The second man had him in a vice grip. Booth was struggling but was failing miserably to release himself. His gun was still in his hand, but he could not raise it to use it. The other man got to his feet and snarled at Booth "Smart guy. Well who's got the upper hand now? Who are you anyway?" He punched Booth in the midriff hard, and pulled Booths jacket open looking for some sort of identification. Suddenly a voice said "He's the FBI" The men both looked around but couldn't see anyone.

A crowbar connected with the head of the man who was holding Booth and knocked him to the ground, pulling Booth with him. The other man was staring that his partner on the ground and didn't see the figure in black dropping from the roof of the warehouse and landing lightly in front of him

"Surprise!" Angel smiled at him just before he punched him in the nose. The man stumbled backwards, giving Angel just enough time to grab Booths collar and lift him easily to his feet. He glanced at Booth quickly and said "Ready to do this?" Booth looked back and grinned widely "Absolutely!"

The two men fought shoulder to shoulder. Fists connecting, blood and several teeth flying. It was only a short time before the two criminals were sitting on the ground, back to back, handcuffed together. Booth and Angel stood side by side over them, knuckles grazed, bloodied noses. Booths jaw was bruising and swollen, and his right eye was closing up. Angel had a nasty looking cut over his eye and a swollen cheek, but seemed unconcerned. The two men on the ground were staring at them. They looked scared and shocked and confused. "What the hell is this? Are you two twins? Who are you?" they were asking. Booth and Angel stood, arms folded across their chests, identical smirks on their faces. Angel spoke "Let's just say we're your worst nightmare come true" Booth nodded and held up a hand for a high five. Angel looked at his hand and back at Booth and shook his head. Booth dropped his hand feeling foolish. Angel smiled to himself.

Sirens were approaching in the distance. Booth looked at Angel and said "Well, the cavalry has finally decided to arrive." Angel nodded "And that is my cue to depart. It's been fun Booth! We should do this more often!" Booth was looking at his bleeding knuckles and nodded "Totally! It was" he looked up and his sentence trailed off. Angel had gone. He stood looking around, trying to see where Angel had gone.

"Damn! I HATE it when he does that!"


	33. Chapter 33

Booth peered at his watch in the darkness of the hallway outside their apartment. He had to squint extra hard to see the time. _2.30am_. He made a mental note to get his eyes checked. He had noticed little things lately, like the fine print in the paper getting a little fuzzy. He took a deep breath and opened the door to the apartment as quietly as he could.

It was quiet, dark. He slipped in the door and closed it carefully behind him, locking it. Slipping his shoes off, he left them by the door and padded quietly to the bathroom. The bedroom door was already closed. Brennan hopefully, was asleep. He stripped off his clothes and dropped them in the hamper. He picked up his shirt from the top of the pile and inspected the collar and front. Blood. _Blast!_ he thought to himself. It was one of his best shirts too. Dropping it back into the hamper he turned on the water in the shower, waiting a few seconds for it to warm up. He stepped into the stream of steaming water and flinched. The cuts on his hands and face began to sting. Badly.

He looked down at the floor and watched the blood tinged water swirling around his feet before disappearing down the drain. He turned and gingerly explored his face. It felt bad. He could barely open his right eye, and there was a cut above his eyebrow that he hoped wouldn't need stitching. His jaw was incredibly painful and stiffened. He tried moving it from side to side, but it was too sore. He opened his mouth and took a slurp of water, swishing it around in his mouth then spitting it out. Blood tinged. He had most likely put a tooth through his cheek or lip he decided. Running a ringer around inside his mouth, checking for missing or loose teeth. Thankfully all were intact. He inspected his hands. The knuckles on his right hand were grazed and swollen and had started bleeding again. He was pretty sure he had broken the little finger on his left hand too. He sighed and closed his eyes letting the water was the fresh blood from his face. All the cuts had started bleeding again from the heat of the water. But not too badly. He turned to allow the water to pound the back of his shoulders.

He opened his eyes. Brennan was standing there, arms crossed with a look on her face that could have stripped the very flesh from his body. He was in trouble. Big. Trouble.

"So I guess this means that Caroline was really upset with you?" she said, looking him up and down. Her eyes taking in the swollen hands, the grazed knee, the bruises already forming on his chest, stomach and upper arms and then his face. _oh my god, his face!_ she thought to herself, not wanting him to really know that she was worried as hell about him.

Booth childishly tried to hide his hands behind his back. "Baby, I'm fine. It just looks bad because of the water. Uh, dissolving the blood, and. Umm, making it look, bad." he was struggling to come up with something that would divert the oncoming dressing down that he was pretty sure he was going to get. She stood firm, staring him down. The uncomfortable situation Booth was in making him shuffle in the shower cubicle. "Uh, do you think I might get a towel?" His nakedness making him feel vulnerable even in front of her right now. Brennan stood, looking him up and down for a bit, making him feel even more nervous about what might be coming. He stood looking at her then caved. "Bones, please don't be mad. I knew that if I told you where I was going, you'd try to come with me. I'm not letting you do that anymore. You are pregnant with our baby. I will not put either of you in any danger. Surely you can understand that?" Brennans steely gaze did not falter.

He was sure he felt himself shrivel under that gaze. "Honey, if it makes you feel better. Angel turned up. He and I, well we fought together! Actually it was amazing! You should have seen him, dropping down from the sky. He aimed a crowbar straight into the guys head, and then we fought back to back, and we got em! We got em Bones! Caroline was so happy. Of course I couldn't tell her about Angel, but you should have seen us! We were like the super duo, or something!" Brennan stepped to one side and handed him a towel, still not speaking. She turned and walked into the living room, a smile crossing her face. Booth could be such a little boy sometimes and she adored that about him. But he was really hurt, and that made her angry.

Booth came out of the bathroom and followed her to the kitchen where she had set up the first aid kit. He sat at the table and turned his chair to face her. Her expression softened. She couldn't help it. She looked into his eyes and finally spoke. Do you have any idea how worried I've been? I called Caroline. She lied to me. I called your cell phone, you ignored it. And now, look at you!" Booth turned to look in the hand mirror on the table, but she grabbed his chin and pulled him back to face her. She started dabbing at the cuts on his face with cotton wool dipped in some antiseptic that made him flinch "Owww! That stings!" he said. She pulled a face at him "Oh really, that makes you cry?" She dabbed again, just a little harder this time, just to make her point. "Hey! Are you doing that on purpose?" he asked her. Brennan simply smiled and continued cleaning the wounds on his face.

"You talk about not putting me in danger. But did you even consider about putting yourself in danger? Booth, what do you think it would do to me if something happened to you? What it would mean for our child? I don't want to be a widow before I'm even married! You talk about keeping me safe, but what about yourself! You went into a dangerous situation, by yourself" Booth interrupted "No, Angel was there!" Brennan threw the cotton wool ball at him "You are not listening to me Booth! When you went there, you went alone. You were not even going to wait for the backup. You were just lucky that Angel followed you and was there to help you! When are you going to realise that you are not a superhero? Booth, I love you, but I am so angry right now." She turned her back and went into the bedroom leaving Booth sitting at the table. He picked up the mirror and looked at himself. He winced. "Shit" He looked terrible. _No wonder she was mad._ he admitted to himself.

Booth followed Brennan into the bedroom. She was laying on the bed facedown crying into the pillow. He felt a lump form in his throat. He hated seeing her cry, but this. This he hated even more, because it was him that had made her cry. He sat on the edge of the bed, not knowing what to say. He needed to apologise, but just couldn't find the right words. He put his hand on her back and gently rubbed. "Bones" he said. She turned and sat up and threw herself into his arms sobbing against his chest. "I was so scared Booth" She was wracked by another bout of sobbing. He squeezed her tight and kissed the top of her head "I'm sorry" he whispered.

Suddenly her head snapped up, catching him on the chin. Pain rocketed through his jaw, bringing tears to his eyes. "Don't you EVER do this again. You hear me Seeley Joseph Booth? NEVER AGAIN!" she yelled in his face. Booth stared at her, tears dripping down his cheek and stinging the cut under his right eye. He nodded, unable to speak because his jaw was locking up. Brennan stood up and grabbed his hand and pulled him back out to the kitchen. She started applying butterfly clips to the more open cuts and a soothing salve to the smaller ones. When she finished she observed her handywork. Then taking his face in her hands, she gently kissed his swollen lips. "I love you Booth. But if you ever do this again? I will kill you myself. And trust me. It will hurt a lot more than you do right now."

With that, she grabbed his hand and pulled him back to the bedroom and put him to bed. She snuggled up to him, smiling to herself every time he winced with pain.


	34. Chapter 34

Brennan was hovering over a skull. There were strange markings on the back of it. Like someone had taken a fork and scratched deep grooves down it. She was intently making notes when a gentle tap on her door caught her attention. She looked up and saw Booth standing in the doorway. Only it wasn't Booth. Booth had a black eye a cut on his forehead. A swollen jaw and cut lip. Her eyes flicked across and looked at the clock. 7.15pm. She smiled and said "Angel! What are you doing here? Come in!" She stepped around the desk and greeted him with a warm hug.

Angel returned her hug slightly awkwardly. He was still stunned by the warmth Temperance showed him. She accepted him completely, utterly. She was a scientist, and an extremely serious one. Yet for some reason, her disbelief of all things inexplicable, ie. _Vampires_, went out the door when it came to him. He returned her hug and smiled. "So, how is the hero?" he asked jokingly. Brennan pulled back from Angel, unperturbed by the coolness of his body, and laughed "He's sore. And he's proud. And he couldn't stop talking about your little adventure." She frowned at Angel "I couldn't believe he was so stupid Angel! He could have been killed if you hadn't followed him." Angel shrugged "he would have been OK, I think. His backup was just a little late. I didn't do that much" he said looking down at his shoes. Brennan put her hand on his arm "You saved him from being hurt even more than he is Angel. Thank you."

She turned and walked over to the pot of coffee on the counter. Turning she asked "did you want a cup of coffee?" Angels dark eyes lit up "Oh yes! Please!" His mouth started to salivate at the thought of a good rich dark cup of coffee. Brennan smiled and poured him a large mug and turned and held it out to him. Angel lifted the mug to his nose and inhaled deeply. His face creased in a huge smile and he looked at her over the mug. "Oh my god. That smells like heaven!" He took a long draught of the hot liquid and closed his eyes. "Now that? That is good coffee Temperance. Thank you!" Brennan laughed at him "Oh come on Angel. Surely Cordy can make coffee?" Angels eyes rolled back into his head "Temperance, she"

Angel didn't get to finish his sentence. At that moment Angela burst into Brennans office squealing loudly. "Sweetie! I had to come in to see you again. I am SO excited! Why are you still at work? Oh, hi Booth. A baby Booth!" She grinned briefly across the room at _Booth,_ who quietly stepped back into the shadow of the wall and sidled into the corner, as far away from Angela as possible. He tried to look for an alternate exit, but there was none. He was trapped. He just hoped that Angela would be too caught up with Brennan to pay him any attention. He could not risk her getting close to him. He tried to catch Brennans eye to signal to her to keep her away. But she was too busy chatting with Angela to notice him.

Angela finally finished gushing and hugged Brennan tightly. "Oh my god sweetie! I can't wait for you to come over and we can go through all the newborn baby things I have. There is so much, I didn't even use some of it. You can have whatever you need. Hodgins and I have agreed that two is quite enough for us." She hugged Brennan one more time and stepped back and bent down and spoke to her belly "You are going to have the best parents ever!" She grinned widely and looked at Brennan again "You need to go home now!"

She turned at peered across the room at _Booth_ hiding in the shadows in the corner "Take her home now Booth. What are you thinking letting her work this late in her condition?" Angel shrugged and held the coffee cup higher and muttered "I'm sorry". Hoping that she didn't try to come closer and give him a hug too. "OK. Well, night you two!" and with that she turned and headed towards the door. Just as she opened it she turned and looked at Angel and said "Nice coat Booth! You should wear black leather more often! _growl_. Sexy!" and with that she was gone.

Brennan and Angel stook staring at each other for a moment and then they broke into loud uncontrolled laughter. "She thought you were Booth!" Brennan stammered out between giggles, tears rolling down her face. "She thought I was sexy!" Angel gasped as he jiggled with laughter, trying not to spill his coffee. "And she didn't even come over to hug you. How lucky was that? I wonder if she had, would she have realised? I mean, Angel, you are Booths' double. I wonder?" Temperance mused.

Angel stepped back into the centre of the room into the light and Brennan walked up to him and with no hesitation reached up and touched his face. Following the contours of his jaw, across his brow, down his cheek, touching his hair. Angel stood awkwardly while she finished her examination of him, not knowing what to say or think. She looked into his eyes and said "You know there are moments where even I forget you are not human." Her voice trailed off and they stood staring at each other for a long time. "How funny was that!" and the pair burst into laughter again.

The danger of Angela finding out that Angel was not Booth averted, they sat on the couch and Angel asked Brennan if she was ready to go home. He explained that he was there to make sure she was OK, and to drive home with her. Brennan laughed at him "I'm not an invalid Angel! I am quite capable of driving myself to and from work!" Angel nodded "I realise that, but I am charged with being your child's guardian. And this is part of it." Brennans mouth dropped open, then she frowned at him "What do you mean, you are charged with being the guardian of my baby?" Angels mouth clamped shut as the realisation of what he had just done hit him.

_Booth has not told Brennan yet_. Angel stared at her. Her eyes were so blue. They reminded him of a crystal clear lake he had seen once in Vienna. He had danced on the shores of that lake with beautiful women just before taking their lives. Memories of tiny flickering lights and beautiful gowns and wonderful music filled his thoughts.

"Angel!" Brennans angry tone snapped him out of his daydream. She stood inches from him, anger in her eyes. "I asked you what you meant by that. Does Booth know about this?" Angel shuffled and tried to back away but Brennan grabbed him by the arms and held him in place. "Angel, I think you need to do some fast, and thorough explaining." She said to him crisply.

Angel stammered, his mouth opening and closing, then said "I'll explain everything once I get you home, OK? Can we just pack up here and I'll drive you home, and then I promise you, I will tell you everything".

Brennan let go of his jacket and stepped back. "Fine. But when we get home, you _WILL_ tell me everything. Understood?" Angel shrivelled under the glare of those beautiful icy blue eyes. He nodded "Understood." He replied. Brennan walked around the office turning off equipment and lights. She grabbed her coat and handbag and headed to the door. "Let's go. And I'm driving!" she said and stormed out of the office leaving Angel standing in the dark.

He stood for a moment staring at the door, then shook his head "Me and my big mouth." he muttered and followed Brennan thinking _this is going to be a long, long drive home._


	35. Chapter 35

Angel and Brennan entered her apartment. She threw her coat carelessly at the coat rack, missing it completely, her coat landing unceremoniously on the floor, her handbag followed, hitting the coat rack and making it rock on its 3 ornate legs.

Angel had bent over to retrieve Brennans coat from the floor when a shoe landed on his head. He looked up to see Brennan sitting in a chair, legs crossed, one bare foot jigging, her fingers rapping out a rhythm on the arm. She was staring directly at him, making him swallow nervously. Booth had mentioned Brennans temper only once. He had a feeling he was about to feel the full force of it shortly. He stood up and carefully hung her coat and bag on the stand. "Stop stalling Angel. Sit down and start talking. BOOTH!" She yelled out.

Booth entered the room from the bathroom a few moments later looking confused. He looked at Angel and grinned and was about to go over and welcome him when he felt a pair of icy cold blue eyes on him. He looked at Brennan and realised this was no social visit. _Uh Oh. I have a feeling we're in trouble_ he thought to himself as he sidled over and sat on the couch next to Angel. He had that feeling you get when you are about 12 years old and you have been called to the headmistresses office.

"Right. Start talking" Brennan said. Booth opened his mouth to speak, but realised he actually didn't know what this was about. He looked at Angel, who had a hangdog look on his face. Angel was not used to being reprimanded so fiercely. Sure Cordy and him had had their little arguments, but he always felt in control of those. Temperance was a force of nature that he both feared and admired at the same time.

He turned to Booth and shrugged "I. Err. I kind of let out of the bag that Cordy and I were charged with being the baby's guardians" he said. Booth leaned back in the seat and rolled his eyes. "I know, I know!" Angel continued "I just thought that you would have told her by now." He looked back at Temperance who was sitting with her arms crossed across her chest glaring at Booth. "Why didn't you tell her?" he asked Booth.

Booth had his hand over his eyes _I am so deep in the shit right now_ he was thinking to himself. He lifted his hand and peered at Angel out from underneath it, then looked over at Brennan. He swore he sore steam coming off her head. He rubbed his eyes and dropped his hand to his lap. "Ok, look. Yes. I _may_ have forgotten to mention that Angel and Cordelia found out what their prophecy meant. But I swear, I was going to! I just" he looked at his hands in his lap, then up and looking directly into Brennans eyes "I didn't know how to tell you Bones. It's still processing in my head. But I think it's going to be a good thing babe" He slipped off the couch and approached Brennan on his knees, grabbing her hand when he was right in front of her "I'm sorry. I should have told you straight away. I promise not to keep any more secrets from you. I promise." He lifted her hand and kissed it.

She pulled her hand out of his. "Oh for god sake, get up Booth. Grovelling doesn't suit you ." She said. "I just don't understand why neither of you told me. It is my baby after all. I think I have a right to know something this big! And _you_!" she jabbed a finger at Angel "I _expect_ Booth to mess us like this, but not you!" Booth sat back on his heels looking perplexed "Hey!" Brennan ignored him and continued talking "Angel, I trust you. I do. So I want you to tell me, everything." She sat back in her chair and folded her arms across her chest again. "So, from the beginning, Angel." She said.

Booth crawled back across the room on all fours and resumed his seat next to Angel feeling rather like a scolded child. He wanted to go off and sulk for a bit, but he knew that would not be acceptable. Plus, he wanted to be there in case there was something that Angel had not told him. He knew that Angel would not omit anything whilst telling Brennan the story.

* * *

Cordelia was watching television when Angel came home. She jumped up to run over to him but stopped short when she saw his face. "What's happened Angel?" she asked. He walked over to her "Temperance knows about the prophecy. I sort of let it slip while I was talking to her. But it seems that Booth hadn't told her anything, so I ended up being scolded!" He stood looking hurt. Cordy burst out laughing. "I wondered why you looked like a little boy who was in trouble! It's because you are!" she could not stop giggling as she gave him a big hug.

"I told her about you too Cordy" he murmured into her hair. She pulled back quickly. "What? No, Angel. What if she feels weird about me now. What if" she hesitated "What if she doesn't want to be friends with me anymore?" This time it was Angel who hugged her. "She's fine with it Cordy. Actually she took it really well! I am continually surprised at Temperance's' acceptance of our, _situation_". Cordelia stepped back "Really? 'Cause, Angel, she's the first real friend I've had in ages and"

Angel kissed her, interrupting her distress and reassured her "Truly Cordy. It's OK. Everything is out in the open. I don't know what it's going to mean in the short term. I mean, I told them that we won't be interfering in the baby's life apart from being their friends. Like Godparents I guess. Only if a situation arises would we step in. And I'm confident that that is never going to happen. They are going to have two happy health babies and its going to be OK" Angel stood smiling dreamily, but Cordys' mouth dropped open.

"What? Two babies!"

Angel slapped his forehead with his hand, realising what he had just done. _oh my god, me and my big mouth!_ again ringing in his head.

* * *

Back at Booth and Brennans apartment, Booth was still trying to apologise. Brennan was quite ejoying his squirming.

"and I am sorry Bones. I am. You know that I would never hide anything from you. I just." Booth hesitated not knowing exactly to say what he wanted to "I just didn't know how to tell you that we had guardian angels. Literally! I mean, you have to admit, it's pretty freaky." Brennan just sat next to him holding his hand on her rounded tummy. She had just started showing and loved how Booth continually touched her belly. She nodded "I know. I just hate it when I find things out from other people. It's supposed to be _us_, you know? Anyway, its fine. I kind of feel quite secure knowing that Angel and Cordy are going to be there for us. All of us." She said looking down at Booths large strong hand laying protectively over her belly.

Booth looked up into her eyes "So we are good?" She answered by nodding and kissing him. "We're good. We're the centre, remember?" she whispered. "The centre" he responded returning her kiss. It was something they had promised each other long ago.

They sat cuddling on the couch. "I'm so glad that is over. I seriously don't think I could take another surprise right now" Brennan said, her head leaning against Booths chest. She could hear his heart beating and it reassured her. Booth smiled, stroking her hair "I know how you feel. I think it's time for some peace and quiet right now". Right on cue, the doorbell rang. Brennan sighed and stood up "I'll get it."

She opened the door and felt her stomach drop.

It had been almost four years since she had seen her.

_Hannah_.


	36. Chapter 36

"Hannah." Her name stuck in Brennan's throat. "What are you doing here?" she managed to speak finally. She did not step aside to invite her in however. Hannah shuffled nervously looking at her feet. She finally looked up and faced Brennan. "I'm sorry Temperance. It's late I know. And you had no idea I was coming. In fact. I had no idea I was coming. I just was in town, and I thought" She trailed off, her eyes scanning Brennan and coming to rest on the diamond ring on the hand which was resting on the slightly swollen belly. Her eyes flicked up to Brennan's her mouth dry, then something caught her attention behind her.

Booth stepped into view. His arms were folded across his chest. Disapproval firmly set upon his face. He didn't speak. Hannah took a small step backwards. The realisation dawning upon her. "I. I had no idea. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come" she managed to say. Booth finally stepped forward, coming up behind Brennan and pushing her slightly to the side "You're right, you shouldn't have. So why did you come back Hannah? Do tell us why, after 4 years, you suddenly turn up in DC, and just _happen_ to lob on Bones' doorstep. _OUR_ doorstep. What do you want?" he snapped. His voice was cold and hard. It's tone was not lost on Hannah.

"I see. I guess it was too much, my turning up here. I just. I didn't like how things ended. I thought. I know it's been a long time." Booth interrupted "_A long time?_ It's been four years Hannah. That's more than a long time. Oh I get that you needed to leave. You wanted out. You never wanted a commitment, you only wanted fun. Well you left. And may I say? You did me a huge favour. Looking back, I would have been cheating myself. I would have missed the best thing in my entire life if you had stayed. So I suppose I should thank you. But, I'm not going to. So I ask again, what do you want?" Booths words were caustic.

Hannah stood, a stunned expression on her face. Her recently cut chin length hair falling across her face as she looked at her hands twisting together. She finally looked up and tucked her hair behind her ear, aware that the last time she had seen him it had been long, hanging well past her shoulders. He had loved to wind it around his hands, letting the long strands slide through his fingers. She closed her eyes for a moment remembering the feel of those hands in her hair. Her memory was interrupted by that stern voice "Hannah? It's late, and we're waiting. What. Do. You. Want?" he repeated slowly as if she was incapable of understanding him.

She shook her head "I don't know Seeley. I don't know what I expected. I sure as hell didn't expect you! Or to see you are engaged! Or Temperance to be pregnant! Or you to be living here together! I guess. I guess I just wanted to touch base. To see a familiar face while I was here. I guess, I wanted to see if I still had any friends here." Booth stifled a laugh then looked at her with a ludicrous expression "Really? You really thought that you had friends here?" He turned and stepped away from the door into the centre of the room "Unbelievable!" he laughed as he walked away. He turned and stood, his hands on his hips, fingers tucked familiarly into his belt.

Brennan finally spoke up. "I want to say I'm sorry, but I'm actually not. Booth is right. You did us a huge favour." Hannah looked at her and asked "Did you get together right after I left?" Brennan shook her head "No. Not for a long time. You broke him Hannah. If that was your intention, you did a good job." Brennan had leaned in close to Hannah and was staring at her. "What you did was cruel and selfish and wrong. But I'm glad you did it. For all you put him through, I am glad. Because it made him search himself. Because it made him question what he wanted. Because it made him choose me. Because I am finally happy. Because we have a family, a real one." she said, her hands over her belly.

Booth had come up behind Brennan and wrapped his arms around her and protectively held her close to him. "So, I'll ask you again. Why did you come Hannah? Why now? I know you have been in DC several times over the last few years. I know people, I hear things." he asked. Hannah stood looking at the two of them. She finally spoke up, her voice was weak however "I guess, I guess I finally realised I was wrong. I still" Booth hissed at her "Don't you even say it. Don't you dare! I think you need to leave Hannah. Right now. And I don't mean this building. I mean _leave_." He pulled Brennan back and shut the door in Hannah's face.

Brennan turned, her eyes were brimming with tears. Her brow furrowed with worry. "I don't understand Booth. What does she mean? She hasn't come back for you, surely?" Booth wrapped his arms around her "Bones, don't even think about it. I am right where I want to be, where I belong. I have got you and the baby and Parker. We are a family, we are getting married soon. We are having a baby together. _she_ doesn't even figure into the equation." He hugged her tighter.

Hannah stood for a moment, stunned that Booth had actually slammed the door in her face. She realised that she probably deserved it. It was pretty brazen, turning up like that. But shit! She never thought that Temperance and Seeley would actually be together and having a baby! That completely changed things. She felt foolish standing there. She had not checked into a hotel. For some reason she actually thought Temperance would welcome her in and ask her to stay with her. She shook her head _what the hell was I thinking?_ she thought to herself.

She turned and headed down the corridor and out into the night. She needed to find a hotel and think. She would have to contact her employer in Los Angeles and tell him things had changed.

Booth slipped out of bed. He turned to check that he hadn't woken Brennan. Her regular breathing reassured him that she was still sound asleep. He crept out to the living room and grabbed the phone. He dialed the number and waited. It range for an age before anyone answered. Finally "Hello?" a low voice answered.

"Angel?" Booth asked. "No, it's the tooth fairy. Of course it's me Booth. What do you want at this time of night? Everything is alright with Temperance isn't it?" Angel asked. He was pretty confident that all was well with Brennan. He would have sensed something from Booth had it not been. Booth replied in a whisper "She's fine. Sorry about the time. But aren't you guys always awake at night? Isn't that your daytime?" Angel sighed on the other end of the line. He wondered if Booth would ever get over the whole "you guys, your type, your sort", then smiled because he knew that Booth wouldn't quite ever get over it. "I was actually asleep Booth if you must know, but thanks for asking. So, what's up?" he asked.

Booth took a breath. "Something. Some_one_ has come up. A woman. That I was involved with about 4 years ago. We broke up and she left town. She turned up at our door tonight. It has rattled Bones a bit" Angel snorted "rattled your Bones" he repeated laughing again. Booth spoke "Ha Ha. Yes. I'm hilarious. This is serious Angel! Bones is upset. I'm suspicious. She's been back in DC at least 5 times over the last 4 years, twice in the last year, and suddenly she's on our doorstep? She said she didn't know we were together. She clearly was rattled to see Bones pregnant. She says she was wrong. Made a mistake. Why would she do that? I don't like it Angel. Not one bit. It's weird!"

Angel waited for a moment then asked. "You don't suppose she is serious about not being over you? I mean, you are a very attractive man Booth" he subconsciously played with his own hair. Booths voice raised slightly "Are you on something? I'm ringing you for help!" Angel realised that Booth really was worried and quickly adjusted "I'm sorry Booth. I didn't really understand. You seriously are worried about this woman? But why?"

"Because she is a reporter. She digs to get information. She has contacts. A lot of them. And not all of them are legit. And she's good at her job. What if. What if she knows about you, us?" Angel paused, surprised "You really think that a newspaper reporter could have gotten information about us? I doubt it very much. I am off the radar. I would have been outed long before this if I wasn't. Look, she's back. She's here. If you think she's going to cause trouble, and you want my help. You got it Booth." Booth sighed "Great. I want her gone Angel. Out of DC. Preferably out of the country. But not hurt. Just. Gone." Angel nodded into the receiver "I understand, but Booth? Are you going to tell Temperance about this, cos I do not want to get in trouble with her again. That was horrible!" he said referring to the dressing down he got earlier.

"No. I'm not. Seeing Hannah has upset her. They were friends, sort of. I just want her gone. I don't want to deal with her. Can't you just, I don't know, _be me_? and get her to leave. Forever." Booth was one step off begging. Angel could hear it in his voice. He thought it strange, but to get Booth to completely trust him, he'd do anything, pretty much. Even get rid of an unwanted ex-girlfriend. "Do you know where she is staying?" Angel asked. "Shit! No! I just told her to go!" Booth was mentally kicking himself. Angel calmed him down "It's fine. Just give me a description, who she works for, or used to work for. Where she usually stayed when she was in DC. I'll do some recon, check in with you and once you confirm, I'll get her out of town permanently.

Booth relaxed "Great! We just have so much going on. And we have to tell everyone at work about the baby. Bones has told Angela, so we need to make an announcement before she does. We haven't told Parker yet! And we have to arrange our wedding! I just. I can't deal with this Angel. I don't do ex's very well. And after me proposing to her and all. I don't trust her and I just don't want to go down any road that she is on." Angels ears pricked up. _That was not in his information about Booth. He proposed to this Hannah? Interesting._ "OK Booth. I'll be in touch" he said and hung up the phone.

Booth took a deep breath and put the phone back on the base. He stood for a moment, a second of doubt flickering in his mind _did I do the right thing?_. Then he nodded to himself and quietly snuck back to the bedroom and into bed next to Bones. He wrapped an arm around her and gently pulled her back into him. She stirred slightly and then relaxed into him. He smiled, comforted by her warmth, her softness. He closed his eyes and slept.

Angel slipped downstairs to the office and turned on the computer. He typed in the information that Booth had quickly given him about Hannah. It didn't take long for several links to pop up. Angel printed them out and sat down to read about this woman. He looked at the photograph that was in front of him. Pretty girl. But she was no Temperance. There was something missing. It was in her eyes. They were hard, dull. _she's duplicitous_ popped into his head. He wondered if this photograph had been taken before or after Booth. He shuffled through the information he had found. He saw that she had recently moved to a new job and was based in, Los Angeles. The hair on the back of Angels neck stood up. What if Booth was right? What if she was on their trail, working for someone from LA. Angels brain started spinning. He had to find out more about this woman and why she had turned up here.

He placed the printed sheets into a folder and sat contemplating what he was asked to do. Pretend to be Booth? Would that even work. It worked on Angela Montenegro, but she was distracted by the fact that Temperance was pregnant. Plus Angela and Booth were not intimately involved. Hannah and Booth had been. It could be awkward. He had to think of a plan. He had to get her alone somewhere, find out why she was there. He hoped she really was here just to reconnect with an old friend and an ex-lover, that would be easy to deal with.

He had to help Booth and Temperance. And he had to make sure that their secret was kept just that. A secret. He would do what he needed to do.


	37. Chapter 37

He stood quietly in the shadows, unseen. He watches as she moves around the hotel room tidying up her papers, packing her bag. She sits on the bed and picks up the phone and dials a number. Angel tilts his head slightly and watches her punch them in. She speaks in a low voice. He can hear that the voice on the other end is angry, but she maintains her calm. The call ends abruptly. She picks up her bag and a bus ticket from the night stand.

He follows her to a cafe nearby. She sits and orders a drink. Her eyes are scanning the area as she sips her wine. She's waiting for someone. A man arrives a short time later, joining her. They talk. He suddenly slams his hand on the table and she is startled, but remains seated. She pushes a large yellow envelope towards him, then stands and walks away. She hails a taxi and gets in.

_"I need to get that envelope"_ Angel says to himself. He waits for the man to get up and walk away and quietly follows him, sticking to the shadows. The man suddenly turns up a side alley. _"Perfect"_ Angel smiles. Before the man has time to pull the contents out of the envelope he is knocked to the ground. He grunts and looks up into the face of a monster. Sharp teeth, flashing eyes. Those eyes! Then nothing.

Angel picks up the envelope and smiles, looking down at the man who is lying motionless on the ground. He nudges him with the toe of his boot, the man groans. "You'll be fine. You just won't remember how you fell over and hit your head. Or that you met your informant, or, if I'm lucky, who you work for." Angel said. He walks away quickly, disappearing into the night.

* * *

He finds her at the bus station. She is sitting on the bench, her head is hung low. She looks like she might have been crying. Angel didn't want to do this. He hated using it but he knew he had to do it again. He calls out to her softly "Hannah". She looks up and sees Booth standing in the shadow of the bus station. She runs over to him "Seeley. I'm sorry. I" she suddenly sees his face clearly. "Seeley?" Angel stares intently at her, murmuring softly. She is captivated by his eyes. _eyes that turn almost golden _ She turns and walks back to her bag picks it up and gets on the bus that has just arrived, as if nothing unusual has happened.

She will get home, unpack, go to bed and in the morning, she won't even remember going to DC. In fact, she won't remember anything except that she needs to find a new job. Europe would be nice. She will make a few phone calls. She has plenty of contacts. It won't take long for her to get a job. She will go. It will be a great adventure. Seeley and Temperance will become a distant memory, just as they should have been all along.

* * *

Angel entered his bedroom where Cordy was sitting in bed reading a romance novel. He stood looking at her. She was wearing one of his sweaters. It did not go unnoticed that it clung to her perfectly. She looked up at him, her hair was damp and tousled. She smiled at him, dropped the book on the floor and opened her arms to him. "Cordy" he fell into her arms and kissed her deeply. "Everything OK Angel?" she asks. "It is now Cordy. It is now I'm home".

* * *

Brennan and Booth sit watching a movie with Parker. Parker cannot stop talking about the new baby brother or sister he is going to have. Booth looks at his son sitting on the other side of Bones. She is holding his hand while he chats about giving his old toys to the baby. He grins and reaches across the back of Bones and ruffles his sons hair. Booth was happy. Telling Parker was easy and his son was so excited. He stood up and headed for the refrigerator. "Anyone want a drink?" Brennan and Parker both throw their hands up without interrupting their conversation. He opens the fridge and his cell phone rings. He pulls it from his pocket and looks at the number. "Angel?" he says quietly. The call was short. He nods and closes the phone and puts it back in his pocket.

"Milk or juice?" he asks. "Juice!" Parker calls out. "Milk!" adds Brennan. Booth smiles, "Of course! Coming right up!".

* * *

Two days later Booth is standing in the middle of Angels office. He is looking at the contents of the envelope. It doesn't make sense. There are pictures of his apartment taken from the street. The Jeffersonian. The bar where Brennan and Cordy had met. He looks up at Angel. "She was spying on Brennan?" he asks. Angel shakes his head "No" and hands him one more picture. Booth looks at the picture and catches his breath. It's Angels' building. He looks up at Angel confused and asks "Who wants this information Angel. Angel shrugs "I have a pretty good idea. Does the name Lindsay McDonald mean anything to you?" Booth shook his head, frowning.

"He's someone that I thought I would not have to deal with anymore. I actually thought he was dead. It appears I was wrong" Angel said. He looked at the photographs. "She seems to have had leads as to where Cordy and I have been. When she realised it was Temperance's' building, that probably prompted her to contact her. I doubt that Lindsay told her about us." he looked up at Booth pointedly. "Let's just hope this is all she had to give him. There weren't any notes included."

"Who is this Lindsay guy? And why would he have hired Hannah to spy on you?" Angel shrugged " He's a, for want of a better work, lawyer, back in LA, working for an organisation called Wolfram & Hart. She's a successful investigative reporter. I don't really know what he's after. But with any luck, we won't have to find out. If he doesn't get these pictures, he has nothing, I hope. I don't think this involves you and Temperance. It's about me. We have. _History_. It's not good. I'll do some digging, but Booth? Don't worry. If Lindsay wants me, he'll find a way. He always did." Booth nodded and headed for the door. He turned as he opened it "You are sure that Bones is safe?" he asks. Angel smiles "I'm sure. But, if anyone starts asking about Angel Investigations? Call me. OK?" Booth nods. "You bet. And, uhh, Angel? Thanks"

Angel stood looking at the door for a few minutes. He had been honest with Booth when he said that he didn't think that this was about Temperance. Lindsay and he had unfinished business. He looked at the photograph of his building once more before slipping it back into the envelope. He took it and locked it in his safe. It was going to be a waiting game.


	38. Chapter 38

The sun was low in the sky, the air was heavy with the perfume of the flowers that were blooming, nodding gently in the breeze. The freshly mown grass added its tones to the scent that wafted around the people gathered in the garden. A couple stood hand in hand beneath a white arch swathed in white and yellow soft fabric that rippled gently in the breeze. They spoke softly, their voices choked with tears of joy and happiness. They exchanged rings, reverently speaking vows that they had written themselves. Then kissed long and lovingly as the crowd of onlookers applauded.

The celebrant smiled and raised her hands and announced "May I present to you, Mr and Mrs Seeley Booth. Raucous cheering and clapping resounded. Booth and Brennan stood in front of family and friends, sharing a kiss before turning and facing everyone. Their faces were shining, full of joy and love. Booth was handsome as always, perhaps even more so. He was wearing soft taupe trousers and a white shirt unbuttoned at the collar and the cuffs hanging loosely at his wrists.

Brennan was a picture. She wore an antique cream dress of the softest fabric. Tiny beaded straps holding up a fitted bodice from which sheer layers fell to just below her knees. Her baby bump was cleverly disguised by the fall of the dress, but if she moved a certain way, there was no denying Brennan was indeed expecting. She was big for 4 months, but she decided that must be carrying a big robust boy. She and Booth were going for an ultrasound next week, and they would get a proper measurement and due date then. She felt guilty that she had not gone earlier, but there had been so much going on, and apart from the morning sickness, she really hadn't had any problems. She knew she would be in trouble with the doctor for leaving it for so long, but hey, it is what it is, as Booth would say.

Max was standing in the front row, positively beaming. He had brought a lady friend with him. Brennan walked over and hugged him. "I love you Dad" she whispered into his ear "What is this one's name?" she asked, referring to his date. "Meg" he replied smiling "Kate couldn't make it." he added. Brennan looked at her dad and laughed as she hugged him tightly "Thanks for being here Dad." Max reached behind her and grabbed Booths outstretched hand, pulling him in close "and you know what will happen to you if you hurt my baby girl." he said to him, smiling. Booth squeezed his hand and responded, "Nothing worse than I would do to you if you hurt her again Max." The two men smiled at each other over Brennans shoulder. She turned and wrapped an arm around each of their necks and kissed them both on the cheek one after the other "Now, now you two. Play nice" she said laughing at their banter.

A hand on her shoulder made her turn and Angela was standing there with Michael in her arms. Jack was standing close behind with the baby, Jack Jr. in his arms. Brennan hugged her friend, "thanks for standing up for me Angela. It's been a wonderful day." she told her. Booth followed her and kissed Angela on the cheek before dropping a kiss onto first Michael, then the babys' head and then shaking Hodgins' hand. "Yeah, thanks guys" he added. He was beaming. Angela said "You look positively yummy today Booth, even better than the other week, when you were in that black leather coat! Where did you get that? I've never seen you wear it before. You should more often." she winked at him.

Booths jaw slackened and his mouth dropped open, his eyes flicking to Brennan. She elbowed him sharply in the ribs and replied "Oh that old coat? He found it in his wardrobe and he wore it into the office to show me. A relic from your past, wasn't it honey?" Her eyes wide and a smile plastered on her face as she jabbed him again, willing him to speak. "Uh, oh! Yeah! That old coat. Uh huh, it ummm. It" he hesitated trying to think of something believable to say. Brennan saved his bacon by adding "It belonged to Pop, didn't it? Funny old coat." Booths panicked eyes flicked from Brennan to Angela and then back to Brennan "Pop? Oh, yeah! It was Pops, back in the day. Hey! Sweets! Come over here, you. My Best Man!" Booth quickly changed the subject and hauled Sweets over to stand with them, hopefully putting Angela off the subject of him and _his_ black leather coat.

He grasped Sweets hand and pumped it enthusiastically "Thanks again Sweets for standing up for me and Bones. We really appreciated it." he said to him. Sweets was beaming. He had been truly touched when Booth had asked him to be his best man today. The two men had an unspoken connection. It wasn't anything to do with work, or the sessions that he and Brennan had spent with him. Booth honestly had grown fond of Sweets. He was kind of like a younger brother to him, and in the absence of his actual brother Jared, he couldn't really think of anyone he could have had on his side today. Booth didn't really have any close friends _apart from Angel_ he realised. "My pleasure Booth." he responded grinning widely. "Thanks Sweets, it meant a lot to Booth and to me." Brennan said smiling at him.

Parker came up and jokingly punched his dad on the arm, and grinned at him. "Are we eating soon, I'm starving!" he said smiling. Booth ruffled his hair, laughing as the boy pulled away "Hey! It took me ages to get my hair to sit right" Brennan laughed at them both. "Boys! Yes Parker, we are going to be eating very soon. You are sitting at our table, go on in and find your place card. We won't be long" Parker smiled and loped off towards the marquee. Sweets looked after him and turned to Booth "He's growing up fast Booth. And he's getting tall!" Booth smiled absently watching his son cross the lawn with long strides. "Yeah, he is." he said.

The newly married couple and their guests moved inside the large marquee that had been erected on the vast lawned area. Booth thanked everyone for coming, asked them all to be seated and then he and Brennan took their seats at the wedding table. Waiters began bringing out food and drinks, a band was playing and everyone was having a wonderful time.

The lead in to their wedding had gone pretty smoothly considering how quickly they had arranged things. The announcement of the baby had excited and surprised many of their friends. Max had been over the moon when Brennan had told him about the baby. His first question of course had been about what they intended naming the child, hinting that Max was a perfect name for a boy. Booth and Brennan had both agreed that they were going to steer clear of family names. They didn't want to offend anyone, so not naming the child after anyone seemed the solution.

Angela's dad had stepped in, offering his home and spacious gardens for the celebration, which they gladly accepted. Caterers had been found, the celebrant booked and suddenly it was the day!

There were two people missing that they would have dearly loved there. Jared, of course was away, and was unable to get back, but had promised that he would visit on his next leave. Pops was the other absentee. They had wanted him there badly, but his health was not good, his age finally catching up with him. His doctors and the home where he lived agreed that the trip would not be good for him. So Booth and Brennan had driven up to see him a couple of weeks ago with Parker. They told him about the baby and the wedding. He seemed happy, although confused. Pops thought that they were already married and had been for quite some time. He also thought that Parker was their son. Poor old Pops. He got quite addled sometimes. So Booth decided to just let him think that the day was a party for him and Brennan announcing the baby. It was easier in the end.

The sun was setting casting a golden glow over the marquee. Tiny fairy lights suddenly began glistening above the guests, bathing them in a soft light. The speeches had everyone in fits of laughter. Sweets especially surprising everyone with some humorous anecdotes about their journey to this point. Booth stood, glass in hand, tears in his eyes and toasted his beautiful new wife. His words bringing almost every woman there to tears and some of the men too. Brennan sat smiling up at her handsome husband, more happy than she could have believed. She handed him a handkerchief that she had tucked in her bodice, for emergencies. At this point in time, it seemed that Booth was more in need of it than she was. She squeezed his hand and he lifted hers to his lips "I shall love you forever Bones" he finished his speech off with, causing a new flood of emotion throughout the marquee. Brennan turned and looked out over her family and friends, one person caught her eye. She smiled and nodded as Cordy gave her a little wave, and mouthed the words "Thankyou".

As Booth took his seat next to Brennan, a spotlight hit the stage at the other end of the makeshift room. A man stood there, guitar in hand, his beard hanging well past his chest, a strange woollen hat on his head, and dark glasses firmly planted on his nose. "This one is for you Mrs Booth" The spotlight stretched and lit up the stage revealing a band. The music began pumping and the crowd cheered as "She's Got Legs" was belted out by Angela's fathers band. It was a crowd pleaser for sure and before long the dance floor was full.

A lone figure stood watching and listening to the celebrations. He was deep in the shadow of the trees on the edge of the garden. A crooked smile firmly on his face. Arms crossed in front of his chest, leaning against a large oak tree. He nodded his approval, then disappeared into the night.

They danced and drank and partied late into the night. Nobody noticed Booth and Brennan sneaking away. They arrived back at their apartment, rejecting the usual wedding night at a swanky hotel. They just wanted to be alone together, in their own comfortable bed. Booth lay on his back, one arm tucked up behind his head watching her move around the room. She removed the clasps that held her hair up off her face and let it fall softly to her shoulders. She slipped off her shoes and turned to face him. He was smiling that crooked smile that melted her. She slowly slipped one, then the other strap of her dress down over her shoulders and reached behind, drawing down the zipper, releasing it, it fell to the floor in a puddle of cream. She bent and slipped her pantyhose down to her ankles, kicking them off delicately, then stood up, standing in only a soft pair of panties, her belly smooth and round. She rested her hands upon it, stroking it gently, and looked up at Booth, who had raised himself up onto one elbow and once again, had tears in his eyes.

He held out a hand to her and she climbed up onto the bed and lay against him, her warm body pressed closely to his. His kiss was soft at first, then deepening. His hands slipping softly down her body removing her panties and then sliding back up over her belly, to her breasts, much fuller than he had ever known them, and then up to cup her face as he let his lips drift down her throat. "I love you Bones, so much. I don't think I could love you any more if I tried" he whispered. "Try anyway" She replied, rolling onto her back pulling him with her.

They made love over and over that night, their first night as man and wife. Revelling in each other. Rejoicing in each other.

* * *

Angel entered his apartment. "How was it?" he asked Cordelia who was just home from the wedding. "Oh Angel, it was beautiful! I wish you could have been there." she said. He smiled "I was there" he said. "I know, but I mean _there_, with me there" she said. He walked over to her and wrapped her up in his arms. "As long as you had a good time, that's all that matters to me. Did anyone ask any questions? Who you were? How you knew Temperance?" he asked. "Nope! Well one person, but I just said I was an old school friend. They seemed happy with that. Oh Angel. I wish"

Cordy stopped speaking as Angel dipped his head and kissed her deeply. "I know baby" he whispered into her mouth. He knew that Cordelia longed for a normal life sometimes. A wedding, a house with a big garden, children. All the things he couldn't give her. Going to the wedding had brought all of those longings to the surface. He knew it would pass. She just needed to feel those things every now and then. Not that they weren't happy. They were. Sacrificing the things that humans generally took for granted wasn't easy. But they had managed. He wondered, could he and Cordy get married? Perhaps he could organise a ceremony. But who would come? Booth and Temperance? Would it be enough for her?

They made love all night that night. They lost themselves in their sheets, giving themselves to each other more intensely than they had done in a long time. Cordelia loved him more than her own life. She would do anything for him. She would die for him. He knew it, and she knew he would do the same. They lay entwined, looking out the open window into the night sky. The black of the night was starting to lighten. Dawn was approaching. "I'll close the curtains" Cordy started to sit up. "Not just yet Cord" Angel said. "Just a little longer" He lay watching the sky turn to grey, then purple, then begin to turn pink. He sighed. Just once, he would love to watch the sun be born fully into the day. "OK. You better close them now." he said. Cordy kissed him on the nose "It's not that great" she said as she pulled the heavy curtains closed and hopped back into bed with him. He smiled at her attempt to make him feel better. "Are you tired yet?" he asked, his crooked grin making her tingle. "Nope." she replied, snuggling closer to him. "You wanna?" he asked his forehead resting against hers, their eyes locked.

Her reply was lost as he kissed her lips. It would be OK. Booth and Brennan were happy. He had his Cordy.

Yeah, it would be OK.

* * *

A figure stood in the shadow of a building across from Angel Investigations. The morning sun began to disperse the darkness where he stood. He closed his notebook and stepped out into the morning sun. He looked up once more at the window where the curtains had been pulled. He turned and limped heavily away up the street.


	39. Chapter 39

"This may be a bit cold". Brennan watched at the doctor squirted clear gel onto her rounded belly. "Wow! That is cold!" she squeaked. The doctor smiled "If I had a dollar for every woman who said that. Well, let's just say I wouldn't have to work anymore." he said. He grabbed the ultrasound handpiece and used it to spread the gel over Brennan's skin. He then turned and started fiddling with knobs and buttons. Brennan looked expectantly at the door. Booth had promised he would be here for this. He was late. She was worrying that he was going to miss the first look at their baby. She felt the now familiar prick of tears in the corner of her eyes. It frustrated her how quickly she cried these days. She felt it was not normal and angrily swept them away with her fingers. "Can you wait a couple more minutes please? My husband promised he would be here" she pleaded.

"Sorry Mrs Booth, we are running on a schedule. There are other women with extremely swollen bladders waiting for this moment too." the doctor replied sympathetically. Brennan nodded. She understood the discomfort the other patients would be experiencing. Sitting on hard chairs, with a full bladder is not the happiest thing she has ever done. She nodded "OK, I understand" another tear rolling down her cheek. The doctor smiled and patted her on the shoulder "Right! Let's have a look who we have in here".

He pushed the scanner through the gel, Sliding it up and down, then left and right, pressing into her stomach gently. Then a strange sound filled the room. A wonderful sound _swoosha... shwoosha...shwoosha_. Brennan looked at the doctor who was smiling widely. "That is your baby's heartbeat!" Just then the door burst open and Booth came crashing into the room "I'm sorry! Sorry Bones! Did I miss it? Please tell me I didn't miss it!" he ran across to her and grabbed her hand and kissed her forehead. "Honey, I'm so sorry! We were just caught in a meeting with Caroline and. What's that noise?" His attention was drawn to the sounds coming from the ultrasound machine. "Nice to meet you Mr Booth" the doctor greeted him with a huge grin "That is your baby's heartbeat! Good and strong too!" He adjusted the scanners position, pressed a couple more buttons and started timing the heartbeat.

Brennan squeezed Booths hand tightly and smiled at him, another pesky tear rolling down her cheek. He kissed it away and whispered "Our baby Bones, our baby" She kissed him back and whispered "I would have killed you if you had not gotten here, you know right?" He grinned and kissed her cheek again. "I know. Did I miss anything?" he asked. Brennan shook her head "No. We just started. Lucky for you! My bladder would not have held on any longer." Booth grinned and turned his attention back to the doctor. He was frowning, pushing the scanner around on Brennans belly, sliding it around and pressing it into her skin. He looked at the couple, then back at the scanner. He slid it around several more times and then pressed the button on the machine.

"_Swoosha...Swoosh...swishswish.. Swoosha...Swoosh_" the sound was loud and then soft, and uneven. Booth looked from the scanner to the doctor and back to the scanner, and then back to the doctor again. "What's wrong? Is that normal?" Booth asked the doctor who was frowning. Then, grinning widely, he started laughing. "What's the joke Doc?" Booth asked. The doctor turned up the volume.

Well Mr and Mrs Booth, it appears you have a surprise coming. You are listening to the heartbeats of _both_ of your babies!

Booth opened his eyes. His head was pounding and the light was making his eyes hurt. He blinked a few times and the room finally stopped spinning, he looked across and saw Brennan propped up on the examination bed watching him, her expression was a mix of worry and laughter. "What happened?" Booth asked. He was still a little fuzzy. He sat up and the Doctor and Brennan looked at each other and burst out laughing again.

"Mr Booth, are you OK now? Would you like to come back over here and continue with the ultrasound? Perhaps you might be better bringing that chair with you. We don't want you falling over again like that." the Doctor was laughing at him again.

Booths' head finally cleared. _Two babies_. "TWO BABIES? "We're having twins?" he asked as he dragged a chair over next to Brennan, who was, once again, crying. But they were tears of joy, not sadness. "Booth! We're having twins!" she echoed. The happy parents hugged and kissed each other, Booth tangling his hands in her hair and their foreheads pressed together as they gazed with wonderment into each other's eyes. "Umm, if I might interrupt?" the doctor was still smiling widely "Would you like to have a look at the surprise packages?" he asked. Booth and Brennan turned and simply nodded, both of them unable to wipe the smiles from their faces.

"OK, here we go" The doctor added some more gel to Brennans belly and began tracking the scanner through it. He found what he was looking for and flicked a switch. A screen above the bed flickered to life and Booth and Brennan looked up, there in front of them was the most amazing sight either of them had ever seen. A slightly blurry vision, then clearer as the doctor adjusted a few settings. A head, two black eyes, a snub nose and a hand pressed up against its face. "That is baby number one. It appears you may have a thumb sucker there!" he said to them, pointing to the little hand.

"Is it alright? It's hand looks funny" Booth asked, worried. "Mr Booth, the baby is only forming. I'll check the measurements shortly, but I'd say they were around 17 weeks or so. Now let's see if we can get a shot of number two." He started moving the scanner further around to the side. Strange swirls and blobs flashed across the screen, "Was that a foot?" Brennan asked as a familiar looking shape appeared briefly. The doctor nodded "Yes, but I'm not sure who that belonged to" he laughed. Then another round head appeared, the same black eyes, then a flicker in the middle of what must have been a body "Here we go! That is your baby number two's heart!" Booths jaw was hanging open. He had not been to an ultrasound before.

"I can't believe it, I mean, I see it, but I can't believe it!" Booth kept saying. For once, Brennan was not the only one with tears rolling down her face, Booth had finally cracked. Brennan reached up and let her thumb sweep across his cheek, wiping his tears from it. He turned to her and smiled the sweetest, most honest smile. "We're really doing this Bones, twins!" he whispered, his voice choked up with emotion. She smiled back at him, nodding. She couldn't speak any more. They turned back and watched as their babies flickered and flashed on the screen, the doctor explaining things to them as he went.

* * *

Angel and Cordelia were in bed. Angel looked across at her and smiled. Her mouth was open and she was snoring. He grinned widely and grabbed the phone next to the bed and fiddled for a moment, then held it close to her head and stifled a laugh as he recorded her. It had long been an argument that he was the snorer in this household. Finally, he had the proof he needed. He grinned again to himself as he turned off the phone and slipped out of the bed and padded to the bathroom, his bare feet silent on the carpet.

He was standing at the basin washing his hands when a flash hit him between his eyes.

Cordelia found him standing at the basin, staring ahead with unseeing eyes, a strange smirk on his face. She gently touched his shoulder "Angel? Angel?" she whispered. Cordy knew not to jolt him out of these trances. His eyes suddenly cleared and he turned and looked at her, "They know." he said. She smiled at him "About the twins?" she asked. Angel nodded and smiled. "They know now." Angel wrapped his arms around her and smiled again "Booth is very happy. So happy. Thank goodness, I don't have to watch what I say anymore." He looked down at Cordy "Or at least we do, until they tell us about the babies. It has to be their surprise OK?" he said seriously. Cordy screwed up her nose "Why do you always think it's me that's going to spill the beans?" she asked. Angel just smiled and smacked her on the bottom as she walked out of the bathroom ahead of him. "Let's just say past experience" he laughed.


	40. Chapter 40

Snuggled up in bed that night, Booth and Brennan were still amazed by the revelation they had had earlier that day. Twins. "Twins Bones! I still can't believe it!" Booth was lovingly caressing Brennan's belly. Tracing the edges of her navel, splaying his fingers out wide over the babies growing inside her. Brennan couldn't wipe the smile off her face as she watched Booths face. He was completely smitten. She suddenly laughed as Booth dropped his face to her belly and blew the biggest raspberry into her navel. He turned and looked into her eyes. "I hope they look just like you Bones. Your eyes. Your smile." She ruffled his dark hair. "And I hope they look just like you. Your eyes and your smile." she responded. "Maybe we'll have one of each, a boy who looks like you" he said. "And a girl who looks like you" she finished his sentence.

"Did you see the look on Parker's face when we told him? Priceless! I thought he was going to actually fall off his chair!" Booth laughed remembering his sons eyes growing large when they broke the news of the twins to him and his mother. Rebecca was surprised, and perhaps a little jealous of their rapidly growing family, but gracious in her well wishes. Brennan often got the feeling that sometimes, Rebecca was envious of her closeness to Booth over the years. Brennan grinned, "Wait until we tell Max!" Booth groaned and rolled his eyes, "I'm sure he will have something to say about that". Brennan pulled the covers back up over her belly, shivering slightly in the cool night air.

She lay, thoughtfully staring at the open bedroom door. "What's going on in that head of yours Bones?" Booth asked. She turned to him, "I think we need to move. This place would have been barely big enough or child friendly with one baby, but two children? We need to find a bigger place. Maybe with a garden?" Her blue eyes were sparkling in the dim light of the bedroom. Booth grinned and leaned back against his pillow and placed his hands behind his head, thoughtfully sucking on his bottom lip. "I was actually thinking the same thing Bones. A garden sounds nice. and maybe we can get a dog? I love Labradors." Brennan snuggled against his side. "A house with a garden, yes. We can talk about a dog later." Booth smiled in, dropping a kiss into her hair, already visualising a chocolate lab chasing a ball in the garden, their twins, a boy and a girl squealing with delight as the dog forgets the ball chases his tail.

The room was quiet, Brennan was breathing softly into his chest, Booth could feel himself starting to drift, his body relaxed, absorbing the warmth from her. He was smiling as he drifted, visions of toddlers playing in a sandpit, and Brennan sitting in a deckchair, her hair blowing softly in the breeze floating across his mind. Suddenly they were roused by the doorbell. Brennan raised up on one elbow, rubbing at her eyes, trying to focus on the clock. _11.32pm_. They looked at each other, "Angel" they echoed each other.

Booth slipped out of the bed and pulled on a pair of tracksuit bottoms, he padded out of the bedroom and headed towards the front door. Brennan started to wrap herself in a thin dressing gown, then thought twice about being all-but naked in front of Angel. He caused feelings in her that confused her, _he's too much like Booth_ she thought. She dropped the gown and slipped into underwear and a pair of jeans that were laying on the floor and pulled a sweater from the chest of drawers. She was trying to straighten her hair as she entered the living room. Booth and Angel were standing in the open doorway, their faces reflecting each other, eyes flashing dark and smoky, mouths pulled into hard lines. _Something was not right. But what?_ She thought.

"Angel?" she started to speak. His eyes flashed towards her, softening slightly as he looked at her. "Temperance, I'm sorry to disturb you. We need to talk."

* * *

Angel was well aware that he was being watched. Things like that rarely escaped him.

He first became aware the night after the wedding. It was the scent that first attracted Angels attention when he had stepped outside to take a walk. He had wandered around the street, trying to pinpoint what it was. He found cigarette butts and burnt matches discarded in an alley across the street from their building. The scent was strongest there. Someone had been standing here watching their building for quite some time, from the number of cigarettes that had been smoked, except for one, they had burnt right down to the filter. He gathered the butts in a plastic bag and pocketed them. He would check them for fingerprints later.

Several nights later he was standing watching the sunset as he did, when noticed a faint glow in the alley. Their mystery visitor was back. Angel didn't want to let on that he knew he was being watched just yet. He casually stood for a few more minutes then slowly turned and moved away from the window, quickly telling Cordy to stay away from the window and to wait for a call from him. He may need her to do something for him. Cordy of course was excited. She loved it when Angel went into full detecto-mode. He made his way up to the roof and headed along the back of the building to the one next door. The jump was an easy one, he had done it many times, but he needed to be quiet. He didn't want anyone hearing him and looking up. Once he was four buildings down, he climbed down the fire escape and crossed the street. He found another fire escape and ascended, then silently made his way back along the rooftops so that he was above their mystery man.

The man was dressed all in black, wearing a long black leather coat. _original_ thought Angel as he perched above him, taking notes. He wore a wide brimmed hat which obscured his face. The man had an obvious lean to one side, _one leg shorter than the other? Injury or genetic?_ Angel jotted in his notebook. Again, he was smoking. The scent wafted upwards _sandlewood and apples? Herbal cigarettes? What is this guy, some new age hippie?_ Angel smiled and made more notes.

Angel was a patient man, but this guy was not moving. _What the hell is he waiting for?_ Angel got out his cell phone and sent a silent message to Cordy. Minutes later she exited the building, slinging her handbag casually over her shoulder, she stepped out onto the step and turned to pull the door shut, she called out, "I won't be late honey. I'll say hi to the girls for you!" Short pause " OK. Love you too!" She pulled the door shut and headed up the street, not looking back, or up, thankfully. _Love your work Cordy_ Angel smiled to himself. He sat back on his heels and waited.

Finally, the man moved. He limped across the road and up to the door, hunched down and actually picked the lock, Angel was not expecting that _"What the fuck! He knows I'm home and he still broke in? This guy is either stupid or has enormous balls."_ He watched the man look up and down the street, then slip silently inside his house! Angel quickly descended, He landed with a thud in the alley, more loudly than he wanted, but it was a fair drop from 3 stories up. He wanted to get over there quickly.

He slipped around to the back of the building, quickly climbed up the fire escape and entered the emergency door on the roof. He quietly waited in the stairwell, waiting to see if the man would be so bold to come upstairs to their apartment. _Nothing_. He slipped out of the door and listened at the top of the stairs that led down to the office. He could hear someone shuffling around. He waited for what seemed like an hour, but was in reality about 5 minutes. The door suddenly opened. Angel quickly ducked back into the shadows at the top of the stairs. The man stepped out of the office, quietly closing the door behind him. He hesitated for a moment, looked up to the top of the stairs for a moment. _"don't you even think about it buddy. It'll be the last place you ever go." _Angel thought silently to himself, readying himself for a take-down The man then turned away and quietly opened the front door, peeking outside to make sure nobody was around to see him, then slipped out pulling the door closed behind him.

Angel stepped out of the shadows and descended to the office. He didn't worry about fingerprints on the doorknob. The man was wearing black leather gloves. He stepped into the office and glanced around. A faint sickly sweet smell from the cigarettes he smoked hung in the room, the same scent that had alerted Angel to their stalker in the first place. The average person would not notice it, but to Angel it was more than obvious. From what he could tell nothing was out of place. This man was careful and neat. He's obviously done this sort of thing before. But what had he seen, or worse, taken. Angel quickly took note of the room, the safe was not disturbed, nor were the items on his desk. The bookshelf had nothing missing. Angel frowned looking around. Wait, the second drawer was completely closed. Angel never closed that drawer completely, it was sticky and Cordy always had trouble pulling it open if it was closed. He sighed. He knew before he opened it what would be missing.

* * *

"We need to talk" Those words always seemed to precede bad news.

Brennan walked up to Angel dropped a kiss upon his cool cheek and smiled, "Well, come in, sit down. I'll make us some coffee. Or do you need something stronger?" She looked at Booth, who shuffled uncomfortably on the spot. Bones' easy acceptance of, and obvious pleasure every time she saw Angel still irked him. He reached out and shook Angels hand, cringing internally at the cold feel of it. "Yeah, umm, I think I need a scotch. Angel?" Booth asked him as he made his way to the bar. "You just can't get past it, can you?" Angel laughed at Booth, who was shoving his hand in his pocket after shaking Angels cold one. Booth turned, "What? No. Uhh, I just. OK. You're right. I still find you being dead creepy. I can't help it! So do you want that drink or not?"

Angel smiled wider at Booths awkwardness. He patted him on the shoulder as he walked past him and followed Brennan to the kitchen, resting his hand on her back as he walked with her "I would love a cup of your wonderful coffee Temperance, and I would also love to have a scotch to sip on Booth, he called over his shoulder. I have a lot to tell you." Angel stood with Brennan as she prepared the coffee. She smiled up at him. "He can't help it Angel, please don't take it personally" she said quietly. Angel smiled "It's fine Temperance. He's entitled to feel creeped out. Hey, it is creepy. I just think his reaction every time we shake hands is funny. And I admit, I don't make it easy for him. I enjoy stirring him up immensely." Booth walked into the kitchen and frowned "Are you quite finished schmoozing my wife?" he asked.

He was well aware that Bones was quite enamored with his double and it bothered him sometimes. He slipped in-between them and dropped a kiss on his wife's cheek then turned and faced Angel pointedly. Angel's laughter was loud and that made Booth frown even more. "Booth, I am not hitting on your wife, although she is absolutely beautiful. No offence Temperance" She smiled back at Angel "None taken".

"I am quite happy with Cordy, thank you. Plus I think you know you don't have any reason to worry. You just need to exert your top dog status I believe. I will say, you are a very lucky man. Very lucky indeed" he said looking past Booth and smiling at Brennan who was actually blushing. "Now, now, you two. None of that chest beating in my house please. Come on, coffee's done. Let's go in the living room and sit down then Angel can tell us what's going on." Brennan said, shooing them out of the kitchen.

Once they were settled on the couches, Angel took a long sip of hot coffee and smiled. "Wonderful" he said raising his cup to Brennan. It was one of the best things about coming here. The coffee. One day he was going to ask Temperance to teach Cordy how to make it. He just had to work out how to do it without hurting Cordy's feelings. He placed the cup on the table. He looked at Booth and Brennan sitting together, waiting expectantly for him to speak. Brennan's hands were wrapped around her coffee cup. Booths hands were fidgeting in his lap. He reached over and picked up both glasses of scotch and handed one to Booth to stop his fidgeting.

"I think I'm being followed and it may cause some trouble".

Angel looked down at the glass in his hand. The crystal was finely cut, light reflected through the glass, making the scotch shimmer. He turned the glass left and right watching the light flickering through the amber liquid. He sighed deeply.

"I've spent a lot of my time on earth being chased. Chased by women, when I was a youth, living in Ireland. Chased by death, when I met Darla. Chased by men when I wreaked havoc across Europe, and by guilt when I was cursed by the gypsies." Booth snuck a look at Brennan who was staring with interest at Angel as he spoke. He rolled his eyes at her and smirked, wondering how long Angel was going to take to get to the point. He winced as Brennan punched him in the side. She knew exactly what he was thinking. He mouthed _sorry _to her and turned his attention back to Angel, who thankfully appeared not to have noticed.

"I was chased by a romantic notion when I met a young girl called Buffy, but ended up being chased away by her." he smiled and shook his head "I have been chased by lawyers from Wolfram & Hart for years. Once I chased a dream when I had a son, Connor. Sadly I never caught that dream, and lost him. Then, when I lost Cordelia, I was chased by sorrow and torment, by self loathing and self harm, and it nearly caught me, but thankfully, and I still don't know what I did to deserve it, but I got her back. And just recently the moment came when I decided that I was going to stop running from the things chasing me. I was going to turn and face them all. And now, I know for sure I am going to be successful in facing them, because I finally found the one who I needed to stand by my side to face them, because in a strange way, he too has spent his life being chased, and although he still doesn't quite understand it, he needs me to stand by him too."

Booth sat staring at Angel, then said "So who is that?" Angels mouth dropped open slightly and he stared at Booth incredulously. Brennan however turned and punched him again, hard this time in the arm "Booth! Didn't you listen to anything Angel said?" Booth sat with his eyes wide and his hands splayed trying to look innocent. "Yeah, sorta. He lost me with all that chasing stuff." Booth looked back and forwards between Angel and Brennan. Brennan stood up, hands on her hips, her face looked ready to explode. "Booth! You are ignorant and" Booth flicked a look at Angel and winked.

Angel stifled a snigger, realising what Booth was doing. Then both he and Booth started laughing. "I'm sorry Bones, I am!" Booth stood up and tried to hug Brennan who pushed him away, still trying to work out what was going on. Booth turned to Angel and said, "Sorry buddy, I'm just pulling your leg. I listened to everything you said, but you just take so long to get to the point sometimes." Angel smiled and nodded, "Yes well, good point. And speaking of the point, perhaps I should get to mine?" he looked at Brennan "Temperance, would you like to take your seat? I need to tell you something that has happened." He turned to Booth "And I promise that I _will_ get to the point quickly" he said grinning. Booth sat down next to Brennan, taking her hand in his and replied "Thank you!" He squeezed Brennan's hand and smiled at her then turned his attention back to Angel.

Angel drained the last mouthful of coffee and replaced the mug on the table. He walked over to the window and looked out into the night sky. Since your wedding, I have been being observed closely, spied on, if you will." he turned to face Booth. "Both of us Booth. There has been a man watching my building and the other night he broke in and stole something from my office. He's also been watching your place." Booths face grew stony. "What do you mean he's been watching us?" he asked Angel grimly. "Just what I said Booth. He's been following us, watching us come and go. I know he's been in my apartment. I can't say for sure if he's been here though. Have you noticed anything? Anything moved, missing, or an odd smell perhaps?" Angel asked. Booth looked at Brennan who shook her head, her eyes wide. Booth replied "No, not that we know of. You said that he took something from your office?" Angel returned and sat back down, picking up his empty coffee mug, then replacing it on the table. "Yes, I followed him, I watched him enter our building and go into my office. After he left I checked the office. He had accessed my desk and taken a document. It's my fault it was there, I had been checking some details, making a few amendments, and hadn't gotten around to returning it to my safe." He looked at Booth.

"It was some notes about the prophecy, but thankfully, not the section that involved you or your children. I'm sorry Booth. I believe Wolfram & Hart may now know that you are connected to me, but hopefully not exactly what that connection is." Angel bowed his head "I'm so sorry Temperance." he added, unable to look at her.

"Wait, you just said children. You know about the twins?" Booth asked. Angel nodded, still looking down at the floor. He could feel Brennans eyes on him, he finally lifted his head, his eyes were dark and shining as though he were holding back tears "Yes I know about the twins. I've known for a while, but it was not for me to tell you. I told Cordy that we were not to interfere, and I haven't. I wanted you to experience the joy of finding out you were pregnant, and of finding out you were expecting twins the normal way. You deserve that. It was not my place to say anything. The fact that I knew should not be a factor in any of this."

"What I need to concentrate on now is confirming that it is Wolfram & Hart that is following me, finding out why, and stopping them once and for all. That's all that matters. Don't worry. I don't really think they want you. they have always been after me. I have been chased by them for years. I was stupid enough to think that they had stopped after I moved here. But I do believe that you are the key to my defeating and stopping them once and for all Booth. I believe that we were born centuries apart to stand shoulder to shoulder today. Anyway," Angels voice trailed off.

Brennan sat for a moment then stood up and walked over to Angel, perched on the arm of his chair and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "Thank you Angel for telling us. I believe you when you say we are safe, I do. And you can definitely count on us to help you, both of us. Right Booth?" she turned and looked over her shoulder at Booth who was staring at his hands, fingers entwined. Angel had rarely been hugged by anyone other than Cordy. That simple action, her warmth in the hug, finally the tears that had been held tight broke and began to stream down his cheeks.

Booth watched as Angel broke down, feeling his own eyes prick with tears. He brashly wiped them away with his sleeve and stood up, walking over to Angel. He patted him on the back and squeezed his shoulder "Of course I'll help you. _I _will help Angel, Bones, not you. Understand?" Angel took the tissues Brennan had placed on his knee and wiped his face. Then looked up at these two amazing people, one he truly loved and one he admired and respected. He patted Brennan's arm, then stood up and without warning wrapped Booth up in a man hug. Booths initial reaction was, as usual, to tense up and begin to pull back, but then for some unknown reason, he felt the need to return the hug. And he did, and he meant it. The coolness of the man for the first time no longer an issue.

Brennan stood, her hands clasped beneath her chin, her own tears falling freely. _Something big had happened here tonight_. She knew it, and just then, she felt it.

Deep in her belly a fluttering. Her babies moved, signalling their presence. It was a sign, she decided, that everything was going to be alright. Perhaps there really were no coincidences in life. Perhaps everything that happened was predetermined, perhaps there was some master plan that even science could not explain. Angel had been sent to them. It didn't matter by who, or why, any more. She smiled, her hands over her belly, watching these two amazing men in front of her. She walked over and joined the hug.

Yes, everything was going to be alright. She knew it in her heart and soul. She knew it without reservation.


	41. Chapter 41

_Three years had come and gone_

She sat in a deck chair, smiling as her children played in the sandpit in the garden. He was a chubby little boy, with crystal blue eyes and dark brown hair that shone copper in the sun. His grin could melt the biggest iceberg or the hardest heart. She was tiny and delicate, with soft dark brown eyes like velvet, that always looked like she was judging you. Her dimples deepened when she smiled that crooked smile and like her brother, she shared the same dark brown hair. It was hard to believe it had been three years.

Three years since that storm raged into their lives, cost them those that had become closest to them. Almost cost them the lives of her unborn children, yet here they all were. Safe, healthy, and happy. They had survived it, they would never be bothered again. It was over and they were so happy now. It had taken a couple of months to find the house. It was exactly as they had talked about. It was an old, immaculately renovated rambling country house, sitting on a large block. Their yard was long and undulated down to a babbling brook at the bottom. It was completely hidden behind a ten foot hedge that ran the whole way around the property. It was in a small town in middle America, quiet and safe perfect for raising their children.

He had taken a job as a night watchman at the local museum. She had decided to stay at home and be a full time mom. It had shocked everyone when she told them about Booths illness, another brain tumour, and of course everyone wanted to help. But it was for the best this way. And so they simply disappeared from Washington. They had moved and settled down together, a family. They had started a new life together. The community had accepted this quiet couple into their fold, they wondered about the handsome man and his beautiful wife, but never asked questions. Joseph, or Joe (he decided not to call himself Seeley) and Temperance Booth and their children had settled in happily and it was just nice to have a new family in town.

The sun had just set, but it was warm in the evenings, so they liked to eat outside on the patio. He had spent days stringing up thousands of fairy lights all over the garden, so at night they could be outside and not be in the dark. She turned to see him walking across the lawn with two drinks in his hand. She took one and took a sip. "mmmm, yummy." she said smiling into his handsome face. He smiled back, then looked up as a loping awkward labrador puppy came bounding out of the bushes and landed right in the middle of the sandpit making the two children shriek with laughter. He laughed along with them. "Come on now. Dinners ready" he called out to them. "Daddy!" The children came running and threw themselves at their father, smothering his face with their little kisses. He adored them more than life itself. He thanked her every day for them.

She stood and ruffled his brown thick hair, "Come on. Let's see what daddy has cooked for us today!" she said as she led the way to the table set on the patio. They took their seats and wonderful smells wafted out from under the covers on the food. He loved to cook for them. He did this every night before he left for work. He returned in the morning just before the sun came up and cooked breakfast for them too. He slept little, the thought of missing any time with her kept him from it. He loved her. And she loved him. And that never ceased to amaze him.

After dinner, they got the twins ready for bed together, bathing, dressing them in their PJ's and tucking them into bed with a quick story.

"Goodnight Seeley, Sweetdreams Cordy" she kissed their precious little heads. She met him in the living room. He was ready for work. She wrapped her arms around him and he kissed her, his cool lips pressing hard against hers. Her hands reaching up to cup his cheeks, felt so warm against his face. She never seemed bothered by it. He loved the feel of her body against his, her so warm, him so cold but together they were perfect.

He still didn't know how, or when they had realised that this was best, for all of them. It didn't matter anymore. He just knew that he had what he had longed for over 250 years. A family. A love of his own, forever. "Night Temperance, see you in the morning" he said dropping another kiss onto her lips. She smiled into those dark eyes that she loved so much "See you in the morning Angel. I love you" she replied. "I love you too" he said as he walked out the front door into the night.

She turned around and walked back into the living room and picked up a photo. It was one that they both loved. It was of her, Cordy and Booth. Angel had taken it one day before that storm hit. The four of them were so happy back then. They kept it to remind them of those days, and of those they loved and lost. She kissed it and replaced it on the sideboard.

Temperance walked back through the house, turning out lights and went to bed, to dream of her children, Booth and her Angel until the morning, when she would see him again.


End file.
